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How to prepare broiled oysters on the half shell with garlic butter and parmesan cheese for the ultimate fast and nutritious dinner or appetizer!
My husband and I enjoyed a recent summer getaway to Amelia Island, Florida.
A yummy highlight of the trip was a meal at the Salty Pelican, where we feasted on the best oysters on the half shell I’ve ever tasted!
Being from Florida, I’ve eaten raw and cooked oysters from literally dozens of restaurants over the years. I’ve also had the good fortune of sampling oysters from around the world, with the biggest oysters I’ve ever seen at an eatery along The Great Ocean Road in Australia.
This particular dish, however, was the first time that the oysters were SO GOOD that I was motivated to learn how to make them at home!
We ordered the “original” oysters, which were broiled in horseradish garlic butter topped with parmesan cheese.
Below is the recipe I’ve been making at home, which replicates this amazing dish.
The biggest challenge is finding a place that offers fresh oysters! It’s worth the search, I can assure you 🙂
Preparation Tips
If you don’t know how many oysters to buy, I suggest a half dozen oysters per adult and 3 oysters per child under 12.
If the oysters you source are small, increase that number per person by roughly half so you buy the right amount.
Personally, I don’t like to have oyster leftovers as they are best eaten immediately after they are shucked (here’s an excellent 1 minute video on how to do this if your fish monger won’t do it for you). Each fresh oyster costs $1-1.50 where I live, which is very affordable, high quality, nutrient-dense protein.
We enjoy serving oysters with a side salad drizzled with homemade honey dijon mustard dressing.
If you are grain-free like my husband, enjoy the broiled oysters right out of the half shell with a fork. I like to place each oyster on a bite-sized piece of homemade garlic sourdough toast.
*Freshly grated horseradish is available in most supermarkets in the refrigerated section near the pickles.
How Often to Eat Oysters?
I suggest eating oysters once or twice a week. They are a sacred traditional food that is one of the most nutrient-dense on the planet! If you eat them while pregnant, you will be rewarded with smart, critical thinking children!
For example, a half dozen medium oysters contains the following nutrients, which are far better to get from food than supplement pills:
- Zinc: The “intelligence mineral”. Approximately 16–25.5 mg (145–230% RDA)
- Selenium: Approximately 48–75 mcg (87–136% RDA)
- Copper: Approximately 1.2–2.4 mg (133–267% RDA)
- Vitamin B12: Approximately 12–20 mcg (500–830% RDA)
Garlic Parmesan Oysters on the Half Shell
How to prepare broiled oysters on the half shell with garlic butter and parmesan cheese for the ultimate fast and nutritious dinner or appetizer!
Ingredients
- 2 dozen fresh oysters
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2-4 Tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1-2 Tbsp grated horseradish
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
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Shuck the oysters if your fish monger did not already do it for you.
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Place the oysters on the half shell in a baking pan and put back in the refrigerator until you are ready to broil them. Preheat oven broiler.
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Soften the butter on low heat in a small pan on the stovetop. When sufficiently melted, remove pan from the heat and stir in the grated horseradish and garlic powder.
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Remove the pan of oysters from the refrigerator and drizzle each one with some of the horseradish garlic butter (about 1 tsp per oyster).
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Top each buttered oyster with parmesan cheese. Use a lot or a little to your personal liking.
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Place the pan on a rack in the middle of the oven, not too close to the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes.
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Promptly remove the pan from the oven when the parmesan is slightly browned.
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Enjoy the oysters immediately on their own or atop bite-sized pieces of garlic toast.
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Refrigerate leftovers (there probably won't be any!) in a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid for 1-2 days.
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