The Oyster - a delicious mollusc that us humans have been eating for thousands of years. More recently we have become better at serving it - from raw with horseradish and hot sauce, to grilling and frying. These Chargrilled Oysters New Orleans Style are close to perfection.
It's amazing how many delicious recipes you can use with a simple bushel of oysters.
One of my favorites is the Chargrilled Oyster (or charbroiled oysters). It is so delicious, full of garlicky butter and topped with yummy parmesan cheese, there really is no better way to serve Louisiana oysters!
There's a restaurant in New Orleans French Quarter, the Acme Oyster House. They serve the best oysters. I love to stop in there whenever I'm in the city. Drago's Seafood Restaurant is another favorite.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe so yummy
- Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: Equipment
- How to store leftovers
- Mel's kitchen tips
- Melanie Cagle
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- More Oyster Recipes I think you'll love
- Chargrilled Oysters
- 💬 Comments
What makes this recipe so yummy
- Fresh oysters that are nice and salty have a flavor that can't be matched. If you love oysters then eating them charbroiled (chargrilled) really can't be matched.
- Some people don't like the idea of eating oysters raw and that's fine. Eating them this way means you are getting them cooked but in a truly delicious way.
- Chargrilled Oysters make a wonderful appetizer.
Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: In a mixing bowl add the melted butter, garlic, Creole seasoning, chopped parsley and black pepper. Give a good stir.
- Step 2: Please the fresh oysters on the half shell onto the hot grill then spoon the garlic butter sauce (about a teaspoon or two) over the top of the oysters. Cook like this for about 5 minutes - until the edges start to bubble.
- Step 3: Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and chives.
- Step 4: Cook for a further 2 minutes, until the cheese has melted and looks almost golden brown. Remove from the grill and serve on a platter with lemon wedges and your favorite dips and sauce (try my homemade tartar sauce recipe).
Hint: using charcoal as your source of grilling is fine and yes it does impart great flavor - but I feel using a gas grill helps keep a very even source of heat all over the grill and can be relied on more. Either charcoal grill or gas is fine.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Romano Cheese - instead of parmesan you could use Romano, it's very similar. Or maybe try a blend of parmesan and romano (parmigiano-reggiano).
- Cheddar Cheese - if you don't like the taste of parmesan, you could try this with cheddar cheese instead, but not too much.
- Green Onions - add green onions to the herb butter sauce.
- White Wine - just a few tablespoons to add a touch of white wine to the butter sauce.
- Lemon Juice - squeeze a touch of lemon juice over the chargrilled oysters after you have cooked them.
- Oregano - is a great herb for seasoning oysters.
- Cayenne Pepper - to add a little extra heat.
- Worcestershire Sauce - if you like to add some umami flavors.
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Necessary gear: Equipment
In order to make chargrilled oysters you will need a grill.
The type of grill I use in linked in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. We like it because it stands up to the harsh Gulf coast salty air very well.
You're also going to need a large platter to serve the oysters and some oyster knives to shuck the oysters (you could also use a screwdriver, but be careful either way).
How to store leftovers
Oysters are best eaten immediately, they will most likely overcook if you reheat them and they're not the best when allowed to go cold. Unless of course you're eating them raw.
Mel's kitchen tips
Work fast when putting the oysters onto the grill. They cook very quickly and you don't want to overcook them.
About The Author
Melanie Cagle
Melanie is a professional cook, food photographer and Cajun food connoisseur. Since 2020 she has been sharing rigorously tested recipes and tutorials right here on this blog.
Her work has been featured on Fox News channels, Yahoo news, Southern Living and more.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
A bushel is the measurement given, basically, for a sack of oysters. There are roughly 100 oysters in a bushel.
This is a special knife made especially for opening the shell of an oyster. The blade is dull but VERY strong so that it doesn't break when prying open the shell.
More Oyster Recipes I think you'll love
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Chargrilled Oysters
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Dozen Fresh Oysters on the half shell
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Creole Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- Chives optional
- Lemon Wedges optional
Instructions
- Light your grill. If using a gas grill allow the temperature to settle at med-high. If using charcoal you'll want to add the oysters to cook once the coals have turned white and stopped smoking.
- After opening the oyster shells lay the oysters out on a tray. Try to preserve some of the juice (liquor) inside if they have any.2 Dozen Fresh Oysters
- In a bowl melt the butter, add the garlic, black pepper, creole seasoning and chopped parsley and stir until combined.½ Cup Unsalted Butter, 2 Tablespoons Garlic, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, ½ teaspoon Creole Seasoning, 2 teaspoons Fresh Parsley
- Spoon evenly onto each oyster.
- Place the oysters on the grill once ready and cook for 5 minutes. You'll notice the outer edges start to bubble.
- At this point add a pinch of parmesan cheese to each oyster and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.1 Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce.Chives, Lemon Wedges
Notes
Nutrition
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Angela says
Oh my goodness! This is my new favorite way to make oysters. The butter sauce is incredible. YUM!
Heidy Linn says
Good morning! I just wanted to give you some quick feedback on your Chargrilled Oysters. They were seriously delicious! Having lived in LA for years, I enjoy popping up on your blog to see what you are making next. Our family loves Southern, Cajun, and Creole food, and I notice a lot on your blog lately. I think that it's incredible that you are embarrassing our culture and doing an excellent job recreating our cuisine. Bravo!
I'm looking forward to what you do next.
Happy Weekend and keep it spicy, girl!
Heidy
Melanie Cagle says
Hi Heidy, thank you so much for the kind words! I will most definitely keep it spicy, and you have a great weekend too!
Judith says
Can I put them under a broiler I don't have a grill
Melanie Cagle says
Yes, this is fine. Make sure your broiler is nice and hot. Place the oysters in the half shell (and dressed as the recipe states) on a baking sheet. To help hold the oysters steady you can put some rock salt on the tray. Place the oysters about 5" from the broiler and cook for about 5-7 minutes - until the edges start peeling up and it starts bubbling.
Kay says
We love Chargrilled Oysters when we visit NOLA. Felex’s is always our first stop. I recently was thrilled to find a recipe online for Felex’ Chargrilled Oysters. Following the recipe exactly, all the while thinking It couldn’t be accurate, I was disappointed to discover they were NOTHING like Felex or any other good NOLA chargrilled oysters.
Looking further, I found your recipe this week, ordered more fresh oysters and made the recipe last night, exactly as written. They were heavenly, and I thank you very much for this delicious, authentic recipe. I will use it often.
Melanie Cagle says
Thank you Kay. I appreciate you taking the time to write and let me know. I'm thrilled that they were as heavenly for you as they are for my family.