The most common ways to eat oysters are raw, steamed, fried, or grilled. As to the best way to eat them, well that’s a personal preference that is much debated!
- Raw Straight from the shell (like the locals do it) – shuck it, loosen it, sprinkle a little lemon juice or cocktail sauce on it, and suck it down!
- Fried – Nothing else has quite the same iconic draw as the Southern Maryland fried oyster! Breaded, seasoned, and deep fried – picnic attendance has been known to hinge on whether or not fried oysters are on the menu, and there’s always a line for the plates.
- Steamed – Not quite as brisk as a raw oyster, but firmer for those who don’t want that ‘slippery feeling’. They’re a little bit more on the healthier side then the fried oysters, as steamed oysters are done in the steamer and then served with melted butter or cocktail sauce. There’s melt in your mouth deliciousness here.
- Grilled – Cracked open and place on the grill, this is essentially the ‘baked potato’ version of oyster recipes – meaning you can put anything on them. Butter, cocktail sauce, lemon – for sure! Cheddar cheese and bacon – oh yeah. Old Bay, JO’s Seasoning, garlic salt? You do you – you can’t go wrong.
- Oysters Rockefeller – You break these out when you have someone to impress, and this is known as “getting’ fancy with it”. Southern Maryland weddings have been known to feature these as a prime menu option. Oysters Rockefeller consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with a rich sauce of butter, parsley and other green herbs, and bread crumbs, then baked or broiled.
