Super new product to make Charbroiled Oysters (recipe included)

Several years ago, a very successful restaurant in N.O. called Drago's introduced Charbroiled oysters, which were an immediate hit city wide and now, just about any restaurant that serves oysters also serves charbroiled oysters.  They are bubbly hot and very rich, but to-die-for good.  Brian and I always wanted to make them but for good reason, we don't shuck oysters and you need fresh ones and you need the shells.  We've even asked oyster purveyors for extra shells, which we would've had to run thru the dishwasher first, to no avail.

In yesterday's paper, I saw where a restaurant in Covington (across Lake Pontchartrain from N.O.) named Schwing's originated Stainless Steel Oyster Shells (brand name SOS) -- originally for their own use so they didn't have to shuck the oysters either, and now have made them available to the public.  The shells are heavy, relatively deep so they hold sauces, have an attractive ruffled edge on one end just like an oyster and can be used to make other dishes as well  The cost is $30 for 12, which is quite reasonable I thought, plus $7.95 in shipping.

At any rate, I just ordered a dozen from the website:  
www.sosoystershells.com

Here's the original recipe, though there are a lot of other variations online.  It's only for a half-dozen but they're very rich so unless you're making a meal of them, six for each person would be good.

Drago's Charbroiled Oysters
by Chef Tommy Cvitanovich, Drago's, New Orleans, LA

1/2 dozen Louisiana oysters
1 Tablespoon Butter Garlic Sauce (recipe below)
Parmesan cheese and Romano cheese

On outside grill, place a half dozen oysters on the halfshell.  Put 1 Tablespoon butter garlic sauce on each oyster and sprinkle Parmesan and Romano cheese on each oyster.  Allow to saute in shell until oysters curl.  Serve hot.  Caution:  We recommend cooking on an outside grill because of intense heat and smoke.  

Butter Garlic Sauce:
10 oz. melted margarine or butter
1 Tablespoon black pepper, white pepper and granulated garlic [presumably 1 teaspoon of each to make 1 Tablespoon)
3 Tablespoons minced garlic

Note:  I notice in the restaurant that they tend to throw the cheeses on once the oysters are hot, but I have a feeling they do this for the show, as it makes the fire rage up.  I'm going to try them the safer way first, which should also be easier.

Dane loves grilled oysters....me, I'd rather have clams or mussels. I don't know why, but I think the texture of the oyster is too soft for me. I can eat them, but would choose clams if given a choice.

Won't the raw oysters open on their own on the grill? I thought they opened like clams and mussels when they started to cook...and then you can spoon on some butter sauce...ohhhh, NOW you have my mouth watering.

But I do love the idea of those ss dishes....I'm just not sure only a dozen would be enough for the two of us....hmmmmm, gotta think about that.

bethk wrote:Won't the raw oysters open on their own on the grill? I thought they opened like clams and mussels when they started to cook...and then you can spoon on some butter sauce...ohhhh, NOW you have my mouth watering.

Yes, oysters will indeed open on the grill once they get hot enough and start to cook, Beth, but (1) you still need to then take them off the gril, (2) hold onto them while you pop the top shell off, (3) take a knife and detach the oyster from the bottom shell, (4) put the sauce on them and (5) and then put the oyster shell back on the grill. Keep in mind that the oyster shell (top and bottom), liquor inside the shell and oyster are now hot to the touch and the hot liquor can also spill on your hand if you're holding them in a thick cloth, which is probably the best way to hold them while trying to do all this. Trust me, it's a PITA!!! Plus, if you cook the oyster too long, it will get tough and rubbery.

Six each of these rich oysters are plenty for an appetizer, trust me, though we could both eat a lot more if we're eating them for a meal. But I'm just tickled pink that we can now make them easily and I love the fact that the SS shells are a bit deeper than an oyster shell is so it's a little easier to nap them with the sauce! You serve them with some toasted French bread or garlic bread so you can sop up the sauce, too.

Once the SS shells arrive, I'll tell you how they turned out, as I'm sure we'll be buying some oysters on the same day! They'd also be good for stuffed clams and other good things to make not only on the grill but in the oven or under the broiler. I'm already thinking of making a "stuffed shrimp" variation where I put it all in the shell. And then there's Oysters Bienville, Oysters Rockefeller, Oysters Foch, etc. Mmm, I'm hungry already! I might even have to concoct my own broiled oyster dish, maybe with homemade tasso.

Yep, clams have more of a texture than a raw oyster. But keep in mind that my non-seafood-eating husband eats these!!! Plus, I'd knock the socks off our guests at the holidays or when we have a dinner party. My mouth is watering like crazy now.

I do a baked clam dish - by storing the clams on ice in the refrigerator they open a smidgen and are easy to pop off. Then I can easily loosen the from the bottom shell, add some spinach and seasoned breadcrumbs, slather with butter and bake.

Do you think anyone else is drooling from our fish talk yet? LOL

Dane fell in love with oyster and lobster stew, which is super easy to make....it's just butter, milk and lobster or oysters, heated to release all the juices, cooled and reheated the next day. I've tried serving on the day I make it but there is something about allowing it to sit in the refrigerator overnight that the flavors become amazing without getting tough. And, like your char broiled oysters, are SO rich a small serving is filling.

I have a feeling seafood is in our near future!

Well, the stainless steel oyster shells arrived today (!) and they're better than I even expected. The nice part is, unlike an oyster shell, they're flat on both the bottom and inside the shell so, as his accompanying note says, oysters (or anything else you put in them) will cook more evenly than on regular oyster shells. And the shells are pretty hefty but not heavy -- each shell weighs about 1.5 oz. They recommend rinsing them in soap and water before using (done!) and also after, plus they also suggest you use Pam spray prior to filling the shell. The recipe for charbroiled oysters that they included with the shells is pretty close, but not identical, to the one I posted in this thread. For a dozen, they recommend a whole pound of butter! We talked about this over and over and rather than reduce the amount of butter initially, we think we're going to try them as written and then adjust our own recipe if necessary.

But I've got to admit I've been thinking of all kinds of things to prepare in these shells and then charbroil -- shrimp with barbecue shrimp ingredients, or cored and peeled ripe tomatoes, chopped, with some thinly-sliced or finely chopped onions and oregano. You could use some butter and also use up the juice from preparing the tomato. Mmm.

Just like I said, Brian went to the store today to pick up some freshly shucked oysters. But then we forgot about the Saints game which began at 7 p.m. tonight, so we're going to make our first batch of charbroiled oysters tomorrow. Accompanying notes did say the "sauce" was meant to run over the top of the shells so as to achieve a more charbroiled flavor when the coals flared up. So I do think we will sauce them, put them on the broiler and once the oysters are cooked to our taste (bubbling, basically), we'll slop on the cheese over the bubbling ingredients.

Will relate how they came out tomorrow, B.

I think I can get a flight for in the afternoon....can you pick me up at the airport???