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.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- 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.
🧅 Ingredients
- Raw Oysters
- Melted Butter
- Garlic
- Creole Seasoning
- Chopped Parsley
- Pepper
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Chives
- Lemon wedges
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
🥣 Instructions
- 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.
🔄 Substitutions and Variations
- 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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🔌 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).
🧊 Storage
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.
💡 Tips
Expert Tip: Work fast when putting the oysters onto the grill. They cook very quickly and you don't want to overcook them.
👩🍳 FAQs
A bushel is the measurement given, basically, for a sack of oysters.
This is just a term for a restaurant that specializes in preparing oysters for consumption.
An oyster bar restaurant is the same as mentioned above, a restaurant/bar dedicated to the preparation of serving oysters for consumption.
Oyster bar, oyster house, oyster bar restaurant, same same. lol
Your best course of action will be to enter that exact search term into the google search box 'oysters near me' and it will give you a list of places where you can find oysters.
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.
There are roughly 100 oysters in a bushel.
Yes, just like for you an me, oysters are a wonderful source of protein. Of course depending on if you cook them and what you cook them with....
As long as you have your location turned on on your mobile phone you can search using google. Just type in 'oyster bar near me' and it will quickly give you the results of the oyster bars closest to you.
Shucking oysters is easy, as long as you have the right type of knife and an oyster glove. Just use the blade to slice along the inside of the shell until it begins to open then twist the knife until the oyster shell pops.
Lol, nothing to do with a real oyster. This is a comical name given to bull's testicles that have been cooked for consumption.
Other Oyster Recipes
If you’ve tried these Chargrilled Oysters New Orleans Style Recipe or any other great recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section below, how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers!
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Chargrilled Oysters
Video
Ingredients
- 2 Dozen Oysters on the half shell
- ½ Cup Butter salted
- 2 Tbsp. Garlic minced
- 1 Tsp. Black Pepper
- ½ Tsp. Creole Seasoning
- 2 Tsp. Chopped Parsley
- 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- Chopped chives for garnish optional
- Lemon Wedges for garnish 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 inside if they have any)
- In a bowl melt the butter, add the garlic, black pepper, creole seasoning and chopped parsley and stir until combined.
- 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.
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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Holly says
Thanks for all the info about oysters. I really learned a lot! Now I am ready to give this recipe a try on the grill!
Gloria says
Well this is an interesting way to eat oysters. I think I need to try it this way since raw does not work for me. Sounds like a plan for the weekend.
Bernice Hill says
This is one of my favourite ways to eat oysters...and I love all the flavours you've used here in this post.
Chef Dennis says
Yum! A delicious way to enjoy oyster! I will let my family try this Chargrilled Oysters over the weekend.
Pam Greer says
What a delicious and easy way to enjoy oysters! I never thought of grilling them! I tried to leave 5 stars, but it wouldn't let me submit it!
Melanie Cagle says
Thanks Pam, Really glad you enjoyed them!
Angela says
Oh my goodness! This is my new favorite way to make oysters. The butter sauce is incredible. YUM!
Melanie Cagle says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Eileen Kelly says
Oysters are a favorite. I made these for Valentines Day and everyone loved them. It is an easy recipe that is just marvelous.
Jessica Formicola says
I absolutely love oysters, but I've never tried grilling them! These look amazing and I can't wait to try them!
Melanie Cagle says
Girrrl, I'm with you on that. I love oysters too! Hope you enjoy them!
Andrea says
Wow, these look amazing! The creole seasoning and parmesan cheese sound so good on oysters. I really can't wait to make these.
Melanie Cagle says
Glad you like it, let me know how you get on!
Amy Nash says
These look easy and amazing! We've been recreating restaurant favorites at home and I really want to try oysters on the grill next!
Melanie Cagle says
That sounds like fun! Let me know how it goes for you?
Veronika says
I love oysters but never cooked them myself. This recipe looks quite simple and has very good flavors. Will try to make it sometime soon.
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!
Beth says
My mouth is watering at the thought of how good these grilled oysters must be with the creole seasoning, garlic and butter. I've only ever eaten oysters raw, this will be a treat!
Loreto and Nicoletta says
Well, I have learned some pretty interesting things about oysters. I don't eat a lot but now you have peaked my interest. I live that you charbroiled them! Yum a little smoke goes a long way! Well done, and thanks for sharing!😍😋👍👌❤
Melanie Cagle says
I'm so glad you liked it.
Addison says
I love how you elevated oysters here! So many great flavors and the perfect appetizer!
Melanie Cagle says
Glad you like it Addison! Hope you enjoy!
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.