Taste: Three Easy Ways to Dress up Oysters at Home

You might be hesitant to try oysters at home, but they’re an economical and totally impressive (not to mention, delicious) appetizer to serve at a dinner party or cookout—as long as you keep a few things in mind. Make sure to purchase your oysters directly from a grower or from a reputable fish market and sample the goods if you can, even if you have to pay a few dollars to do so. Also, that old saying that you should only eat oysters in months that end with “r” is simply not true, especially in the United States where most of the oysters available commercially are grown under conditions to ensure their safety and tastiness year round. I prefer small, sweet oysters so I keep my eye out for Kumamotos (from the Pacific), but there are endless varieties of the delicious bivalves, so don’t be afraid to make friends with your local fish guy or gal and ask them what’s good.

I won’t go into details on how to shuck oysters here, but you can easily pick up a shucking knife (or two) from the fishmonger where you purchased your oysters and queue up an instructional YouTube video or two before you get shucking. After a few tries you’ll be a total pro, but don’t forget to protect your hand with a clean, dry dish cloth or glove. Once the oysters are shucked, place them (in their shells) on a bed of rock salt or ice and serve immediately.

And since you’ve gone through the trouble of shucking your own oysters, why not try dressing them up with something a bit fancier than a squeeze of lemon? Below you’ll find recipes for three simple sauces that will all enhance the sweet and or briny flavor of fresh oysters, and don’t forget the cooler of frosty cold ones on the side. If you aren’t into raw seafood, these sauces would pair nicely with fried or grilled seafood too.