Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Oyster Stew

Guys, esp. Bullwinkster - Got some oysters left over fromma big jug of 'em. Am I doin this right??

Halve the oysters, gently fry in butter, add milk, salt pepper to taste. Add some cooked diced potato. Serve when just heated up.

Drink the rest of the beer!]

THANKS, sse

sse
I don't fry them or split them... I like to fry a little onion in bacon grease left from just a couple of strips, save the bacon. Add milk or "half and half" and bring it to just below boiling.

I add a little thyme, and about half as much each of rosemary and oregano... it is EASY to overdo the green stuff and less is more in this case!

I also like a little black pepper in there, though most recipes would call for white...

Add the oysters whole and simmer for just a minute or two. Serve with a pat of butter and the bacon (crumbled). Sprinkle a touch of paprika on the top on the way to the table and it is done!

Hope you like my style, I sent a lot of slimy little souls to heaven perfecting it! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
art

SD - Thank you. Sounds very good. I could still add a bit of potato to that.

Regards, sse

sse
You are absolutely correct, you could add potato, but then you HAVE to call it chowder! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If you wanted the chowder recipe you should have asked for it!

When I make chowder I start by boiling potatos and frying 1# of bacon, crispy. In the bacon grease I fry a couple diced onions. When the potatos are done remove most of them, but leave a cup or so in the water and continue to boil them, both to reduce the liquid and to over-cook the potato.

Mash the potatos in the water until they are just thickener, add any available clam or oyster juice and reduce as much as you have time for. I use the same thyme, rosemary and oregano but add a bit of cayene for zest.

Toss the potatos back in the water, add the fried onion and milk/half and half, whatever you like. I float a stick of butter on top, but that is optional <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Toss either cut-up clams or whole oysters in and allow to simmer only for a few minutes; do the same paprika dusting, pat of butter and crumbled bacon thing...
art

Some folks use a pressure cooker when making their clam chowder and I think it ruins the clams...

SSE, oyster stew is an art form, make that a free form art form (sorry Sitka ) But Oyster stew the way one usually finds it here in the Puget Sound region is really quite simple. First take as many oysters as you can muster or happen to have at hand and par boil the little buggers. For those of you who do not know what par boiling is, well ask your mom. Ok it is the dipping the oyster in boiling water for a breif time in order to "set " the meat, sort of boiled but not fully cooked. Now slice the critters into small bite sized chunks. Now remember this dish is akin to heart attack in a bowl. I like lots of oysters in my stew, who wouldn't, not that canned stuff has been using the same lone oyster for a few months<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> So lots of oysters it is, if you have them. Now git your self on down to the local grub store and purchase an appropiate amount of 1/2 &1/2. This stuff will kill you if used on a regular basis. pour 1/2 & 1/2 into pot on very low heat, you do not want to scorch the milk. add oysters. I use only pepper as seasoning. To make this stuff even more leathal put a half or so cube of butter in. I never salt because butter has plenty of salt as do the oysters, besides salt is bad for you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Let simmer until good and hot I mean HOT. Takes me at least 3 hours. Now dish up in large bowls let cool to nice and warm ( this is just below Damb thats hot) and crumble in some good Oyster crackers and chow down. I like to have mine with nice fresh french rolls...no garlic...buttered if you must and a tossed green salad with lite vinagar and oil dressing. the flavor of the stew is mild so do not over power it with strong side dishes. If you are a coffe drinker this is a good drink with Oyster stew, I prefer 7 [color:"red"] [/color] UP. Cleanses the palet for the next bite.
You can streach your oysters by using potatoes just dont overcook them to mush just done through.

Bullwnkl.

Bullwinkle
I agree with you right up to the part where you over-cooked your oysters <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I can handle cutting up the oysters, if you are using the big ones they are easier to eat in small pieces. I just need a couple minutes for my oysters to get to the way I like them, though.

Take a look at the Atkin's diet and the research that they are only finally listening to in science... FAT IS WHERE IT'S AT!!! Ain't nothin' wrong with fat and protein, it's the carbs that will kill...

Half and half is better for you than milk, heavy cream is better yet! Oyster stew is just fine on a diet where you will lose weight and improve your cardiovascular function just from the excercise you get from shoveling the stuff in!
art

You guys are absolutely killing me. These little old southern oysters that are available fresh down here would not stand cutting. I bought a quart of what passed for fresh, if you can believe the date stamp, Friday. I swear there wasn't one in there that was bigger than your thumb. Still watery too like summer oysters.
I think I will go open up a can of sardines. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

BCR

Boggy
The quality of Pacific North Wet oysters is incredible, and the farther north you go the better! A friend has an oyster farm just south of us in Seldovia. We get them right!

My son is only 9 now and he will do serious damage to a run of oysters on the half-shell! Don't dare let him eat them from other places though...
art

BCR, you gotta try ours from up North here they are good.
I like Sardines also, and pickled herring by Hellmans.
Bill

Sitka, I have all of the books authered by Atkins, his diet appears to work. Although not yet bonified by the AMA it does work well. His original Diet was very difficult to maintain but things have gotten better.

I like my oysters cut into bite size pieces, or if you get the tiny ones just halve them. But they really need to be cut in some manner. Then you have to set the meat so your milk does not develop a skum.

There is nothing like oysters from the cold North Pacific. I was unaware of there being oyster farms as far north as you, no reason they shouldn't thrive there. Does the state Health Dept monitor PSP levels as they do here in the Sound. I know that around Sitka PSP is a problem in butterclams. PSP for you inlanders is a little thing that Shell fish transmit to humans it is known as Paralytic Shell Fish Poisioning. PSP for short it induces numbness then paralisis starting with the lips and in bad cases paralizes the lungs and causes death. This is not something to mess with. Our waters are tested daily in spring thru fall and weeky in the winter. Safe sea food is a serious matter. PSP is caused by the byproducts of an alge bloom the mullusks concentrate the toxin in their meat. Some bivalves ( clams oysters mussels) maintain the toxin longer than others in their bodies. So when purchasing fresh clams and oysters make certain they are certified. Some bandit types harvest contaminated beaches and sell to wholesalers who do not care so long as they get a good price and avalibility. I never buy from the tribes they have members who are not to be trusted. Crab, shrimp and sea cucumbers are ok. They is not susceptable to PSP.

Art I make my stew from the largest oysters I can lay may grubby hands on. To me that is the best. So to each his own I am sure all recipies are good so long as no one puts corn in the pot. I have seen that done yuck!!!

Bullwnkl.

Boggy get me your address, you can PM it to me and one day soon I will ship you a batch of fresh Oysters from Taylor United, actually they do the shipping all I do is lay a little green on them.
So get me that addy and one day I'll drop you a note saying look out for the bivalves comming your way.

Bullwnkl.

Partsman this ole Swede boy likes his pickled herring but that stuff from the store in a jar is just plain bad. I do make my own on occasion when I can get good salt herring. Saw some Sunday at Seattle Farmers Market but did not buy any. Too close to X-mas the wife has the fridge full. I don't even have room for my pickled egg jar. Next month. I also like pickled sockeye and but it at COSCO in jars....go figgure.
Gotta make Armadillo eggs tonight for the tribe. And pack up the jerky. So Merry-Xmas to all.

Bullwnkl.

Same to you Bullwnkl, hope you have a Merry Christmas: I used to buy the Dutch boy brand of rollmops then I got married in 95 and the in-laws are dutch so they are the ones that told me to buy Hellmans as it is one of the few they like, they of course most times spend all their time at all these Dutch butchers for their stuff, have to make biter-ballins and Ole-bollins and some other stuff the wife has recipes for.
And by the way you said after Xmas you would be up this way, where roughly would you be heading for?
Bill

Bullwnkl
The oyster farms are doing very well and the fish tech center in Seward has figured out how to get them to spawn, so the spat is coming from locally, rather than from Puget Sound... makes for a better oyster <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

PSP is the accumulated neuro-toxins from dinoflagelates, the same family that causes red tides elsewhere... The dinoflagelates make the toxin and the filter feeders (bivalves especially) strain it out of the water and concentrate it in their bodies. Blue mussels are the worst, and razor clams seldom get it. When there is an outbreak the state cuts off the sale of live crabs as they concentrate the toxins in their gills. SOme folks like the gills better than the meat.

Every year there is at least one death from PSP. because the water is so cold it stores plenty of oxygen. Fallig asleep here. Gotta go play Santa!
art

Partsman, roughly we were thinking of going to Vancouver, but plans have changed a bit, my boss had a minor heartattack Monday so my vacation has been postponed for a while. Some one has to do the time cards, turn the radio on etc. So until he gets back I have the duties. Probably make it up in April if I do not head to Montana to do a little ground squirrel shooting.

Bullwnkl.

Hey guys! - Thanks for your replies and making this thread great to read. Problem is, still don't know what to do!!!!!!

I think the sauteing I mentioned earlier substitutes for the par boiling, and yes, I asked Ma what that is long ago!!!

I'm gonna hafta "stew" on this for a bit before I decide what to do.

THANKS!! sse

sse
I suspect either method will be edible, mine will just taste better and the oysters will have better texture <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
art

Sitka - Dunno. Winky is losing some credibility here for chopin 'em up and also for givin 'em a bath beforehand!! As with many good cooks, the recipe is interesting, but the technique is lost on me. I thought you guys knew you had to spell everythinng out for me. Just kidding. The ideas are very good.

Regards, sse

P.S. I just saw a report on the conditions at Alyeska on CNN. Guess the flights are gonna be full from the lower 48!!

sse
Don't go discounting Winky's credibility until you actually taste the difference... opinions are just opinions... more than half the eating is the company.

Winky likely has good enough company to let him overlook his overcooked oysters <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
art

sse
Missed the CNN report; what kind of lies are they spreading now? Somehow they are painting things as grand, with pampered employees doing their collective best under tough environmental conditions, right?

You should have seen the good old days!
art