Lime Garlic Oysters - Key Lime Garlic Oysters Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to cook oysters? ›

All you need is a pot with a steamer basket. Place the shucked oysters in the basket, set over boiling water, and cover to steam for 4-5 minutes until they are firm and opaque. Once cooked, season with lemon juice, garlic butter, herbs, or other flavors.

Hydrated lime is used in both the mussel and oyster aquaculture industries for controlling predators and fouling organisms that impact the culture of shellfish.

Lemon juice is a flavor enhancer — this means that it brings out the different flavors of the food it is added to and makes them more prominent. In the case of the fresh oyster, that taste is the briny, fresh, sea salt flavor that oyster lovers cherish.

Oysters are much more versatile than you think. While the plump, briny bivalves are, of course, spectacular served raw with a squeeze of lemon, they are also great for grilling, frying, stirring into creamy chowder — you get the picture.

At some point before shucking, you will need to give the oysters a scrub-down to remove any dirt, mud, sand, shell fragments, or other crud that you don't want to end up slurping down. I like to get that cleaning step out of the way as soon as I get the oysters home.

Cooking oysters to an internal temperature of 140° F or greater for 4-6 minutes destroys the common microorganisms of public health concern. Oysters can be enjoyed in a variety of cooked preparations including steamed, stewed, roasted, baked, broiled, sauteed, poached, and fried.

You can become ill by eating raw or undercooked oysters or clams. If the oysters or clams are cooked thoroughly, the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria are destroyed and there is no risk of infection. Eating raw oysters or clams with hot sauce or while drinking alcohol does not destroy the bacteria.

Top each oyster with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of chopped herbs (parsley, tarragon, chives, or even cilantro), then close the grill or cover with tin foil. Cook five minutes, or until the oysters are simmering in their shells.

It's vital to clean your oysters well before shucking. Use a stiff-bristled brush to remove sand, dirt, and debris. You can also put your oysters into a cold icy saltwater bath to soak for an hour in order to purge them of sand and grit.

Lemon juice on an oyster is an easy way to enhance its natural briny flavor. Think of this as the purist's version of an oyster sauce. Just a dash of lemon juice lets you appreciate all of the oyster's flavors by complementing and enhancing them.

What should I drink after eating raw oysters? ›

If you don't drink alcohol, fizzy water like Badoit or San Pellegrino will work well. Anything with even a hint of sweetness will just kill the taste of the oysters.

The illnesses of most concern from eating raw or undercooked oysters or clams are Vibrio infection, norovirus infection, and hepatitis A. See fact sheets for those diseases for more details. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pains, severe weakness.

Raw vs Cooked Oysters

While raw oysters are good for you, fried oysters contain more calories and carbs.

Step 1: Rinse the oysters in cold water, picking off any barnacles, dirt, sand, or other flotsam. Step 2: Prepare an ice cold, saltwater bath. You'll want a ¼ cup of salt per 4 cups of water. Step 3: Plunge the oysters into the saltwater bath and refrigerate them for 1 hour.

Oysters are primarily a finger food and should be eaten raw, fresh and right from the shell. No silverware, no plates, you just need to put your lips right up to the shell and slurp away. This tiny fork that may frequently accompany oysters is used just to loosen the oyster from the shell.

When you want to enhance your oysters, there's nothing wrong with going the traditional route of red wine vinegar and finely chopped shallots. Alternatively, you could opt for an Asian combo: a mixture of lime, grated ginger and perhaps even a few drops of ponzu, a Japanese soy sauce with yuzu.