Smoked Oysters

mosler · Newbie Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Mashpee, MA

Last night saw me out smoking some oysters I was given by a friend. This was a first for me and I am happy with the results.

I scrubbed them clean and shucked them a few nights ago and kept covered in tupperware with plastic wrap over them in the back of the fridge. They were all completely submerged in their 'liquor'.

So last night...put on a large pot of water and brought to a boil. Placed all the oysters in a strainer basket and submerged the bunch in the hot water. Stirred them around for even exposure and removed once the edges started to turn up a bit. Alltogether they were in the water 5 or 6 seconds max.

Laid them out on a sheet pan with a towel on it for them to dry while I set the smoker up. I have a bullet smoker and laid the two grates crosswise on each other so as to make a sort of grid. I then laid tin foil over this and poked a whole bunch of holes all through it to let smoke and heat throgh.

Smoker was about 170-190 with heavy smudge from cherry wood. I placed the oysters in and turned a few times over the course of 25-30 minutes. They took on a nice yellowish color and still retained a decent texture. Like other cooking there's a fine line between the middles feeling soft but cooked or soft but uncooked. It helps to have an idea of what you're feeling for.

I put the finished product in a small clean jar and covered with oil.

The one improvment I'd like to make is the surface which the oysters sit on. Despite the holes in the foil, there was still moisture on the bottom of them each time I flipped them. With more exposure on their bottoms Shocked

I think they would have cooked a fair bit faster.
Ideally you could drill a bunch of holes in a cookie tray or maybe take the handle off of one of the mesh pan covers you might use when deep frying on the stove top.

A final note is that these lost a ton of size when cooked. Like over 50% easy. These were big mature oysters from local waters and the shucked meat was WAY bigger than you'd want to enjoy as a shooter. The average size was about 3" long and plenty wide. They are a fine size for eating now that they're cooked. If you started with raw oysters that you'd not mind eating straight up, you're smoked ones might end up the size of a large jelly bean. I bet they'd take a lot less time too.

Chewy · Posted: Mon Apr 10 06 1:59 am Post subject: Re: Smoked Oysters

mosler · Newbie Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Mashpee, MA

Hey Chewy,

Sorry for the late reply but I'm not visiting these boards much lately.

I used plain old veggie oil and noticed no ill effects. They were ready to eat straight away and I finished the last of them after about 2 weeks in the fridge and they still seemed fine.

Chewy · Posted: Sat Apr 22 06 1:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the reply. I'll be sure to give this a try next time I have the chance.
_________________
Got Smoke?

flatpick · Posted: Tue Nov 21 06 1:51 am Post subject: wow

I just found this forum. very cool.

I live out in Ocean Park, WA and am only 4 miles from a place called Oysterville, WA. we gotta lotsa oysters.

I scrub the shells then put them on the BBQ till they open. I then drain off juice and remove the top shell. I arrange them on the grill so they basically are laying in their own shell. I put the cooker on low and put a pan of Alder or Cherry chips over the burner.

The BBQ, even on low, is pretty hot. 300 or so, so I have to keep an eye on 'em to keep them from burning/ sticking to their shell. after they dry out a bit (maybe an hour) I take them outta the shell and put them on a lightly oiled aluminum foil. I keep pouring off excess liguid into the chip pan. The chips generally last an hour+. I would guess start to finish is probably 1.5 hrs.

Plans are to build a real smoker. 200-225 degrees sounds better!

I plan on taking a bunch to Thanksgiving dinner for appatizers!

wondering how long they would last packed in a little oil and vaccum packed. stored in reefer, of course. Freezing?

looking forward to checking out the 'smoke ring' more!!!

steve
smokin' in OPWA

Hop · Joined: 23 Feb 2009 Posts: 1

I have been smoking my own oyster's for a couple years now. I started when I could not find any at the store that was not a product of china.

Huey · Posted: Fri Apr 17 09 7:20 am Post subject:

I thought of oysters today and figured someone had done them up in a smoker.

I have always been taught not to shuck them until I'm about to eat them or cook them, since that kills them and they begin to degrade. Is that not the case?

Savannahsmoker · Newbie Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 67

You are right Huey
But than again you can get shucked oysters in the store.

andrewz · Joined: 03 Dec 2010 Posts: 1

232mako · BBQ Fan Joined: 27 Apr 2010 Posts: 266

laflaone · Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Posts: 3

I know this topic is stretched way out over time, but I thought I would comment on the original poster asking for a better surface to cook the oysters on. If you have never heard of frogmats, they are the way to go. Nothing sticks to them, easy to clean, great for veggies, shrimp, rolling up a fattie, etc. go to this website: http://www.frogmats.com/.

One other thought: I was born and raised in Louisiana, and I get all swoll up when I think about what BP did to the oyster beds.

SlicTrix · Posted: Thu Feb 28 13 5:17 pm Post subject:

First off if not said already there is a steal grill piece that is taflon coated for fish and it has 1/4 inch drilled holes all offset from one and another keeping the 1/4 inch spacing and it measures 12 inch X 18 inch and it was made to be able to cook fish filets on the grill. I know because I have one but can't remember where I got it or even who sold it.

Anyways as far shrinkage goes clams, oysters and mussles all shrink when cooked. Just be glad your Porterhouse doesn't shrink like that

SlicTrix · Posted: Fri Mar 01 13 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: wow