Shellabrate Summer with Sanctuary Oysters

Summer is right around the corner and we have got one thing on our mind, oysters! As the days get longer and the nights warmer our menu planning thoughts skew towards light preparations that can be prepared quickly and with minimal use of the oven to keep our houses cool and leave more time in the day to be spent enjoying summer fun with family and friends. Granted, we may be biased, but we think our Sanctuary Oysters are the perfect meal to kick off summer with. Read on for a few of our favorite early summer oyster preparations.

When it comes to capping off a summer day, you can’t go wrong with oysters on the half shell. Once you crack open your oysters, delicately set them atop of a platter filled with ice to keep them chilled. Your toppings can range from a simple squeeze of lemon or lime + hot sauce to a range of flavorful mignonettes. The most classic mignonette consists of champagne vinegar with minced shallot, black pepper and a pinch of sugar. This delectable topper can be spruced up in a million different ways. Try substituting various vinegars such as red wine, apple cider or others for the traditional champagne. Add a dash of whatever fresh herbs you have on hand such as mint, basil or chives. In the mood for something spicy? Mix in a dash of your favorite minced hot pepper, freshly grated horseradish or a splash of hot sauce. When it comes to mignonette ingredients, the world is your oyster!

While we may be boycotting use of our indoor ovens as much as possible during the summer months, our hot preparation needs turn to alfresco options like outdoor grilling. Lucky for us, Sanctuary Oysters are pure perfection in grilled form. Their larger shells are perfectly sized for positioning on the grill grates and their naturally deep cups are ideal for holding the oyster, its liquor and whatever delicious ingredients you decide to add to them. Now, when it comes to the actual grilling you have two options available to you.

Grilling Un-Shucked

Place the whole oysters on the hot grill and wait for them to open just slightly. Unlike clams, you do not want to wait for the oysters to open fully. Doing so will result in an overcooked oyster which can take away from the delicate texture and flavor oysters are adored for. Rather, once the oysters pop open, with a gloved hand remove from the grill and pry open. The shelled oyster can now be topped with a prepared mignonette or simply with a squeeze of your favorite citrus and dash of hot sauce.  

Grilling Shucked

Shucked oysters can be placed cup side down onto a hot grill, taking care not to spill any of the oysters’ liquor. We love to add to the oyster a dollop of pre-made compound butter. Similarly, to mignonette, compound butter can be made with fresh herbs, garlic, citrus zest, minced peppers, hot sauce, or all of the above! The melted butter and oyster liquor will meld into the most delectable sauce and just like that, your grilled oysters on the half shell are ready to be enjoyed.

Whatever oyster preparation you choose, you’ll want to pair them with the perfect beverages imaginable, and luckily, we can help with that recommendation too. Whatever oyster preparation method you choose this summer we can guarantee one thing is for sure, with our Sanctuary Oysters, you’ll have a delicious experience!