Smoked Oysters Recipe: How to Smoke Oysters

Smoked oysters are bivalve mollusks—a type of shellfish like scallops, clams, and mussels—cooked via the gentle indirect heat of woodsmoke. Oysters are members of the Ostreidae family and taste especially like sea salt—much like the oceans, lakes, and rivers that they inhabit.

Typically enjoyed raw, this shellfish delicacy also takes well to smoking, which often brings to mind large cuts of meat, like smoked brisket. The savoriness and saltiness of oysters make them a natural fit for smoking. Serve smoked oysters with a dry white wine.

Eat this smoky delicacy hot or cold in numerous dishes. Here are some ideas to consider:

1. 1. Pasta: Toss spaghetti or bucatini with smoked oysters and a generous knob of unsalted butter, plus plenty of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon wedge. Take inspiration from classic spaghetti alle vongole.
2. 2. Pizza: Clams on pizza with white sauce is a New England classic. Swap these oysters in for an enhanced smoky, umami flavor and top them with plenty of black pepper and a dash of cayenne.
3. 3. Sauces: Serve smoked oysters on the half shell and drizzle them with a classic mignonette (composed of champagne vinegar and minced shallot) or extra-virgin olive oil flecked with grated garlic, lemon zest, and fresh chives. Another trusty method is to douse the smoked oysters in sharp, vinegary hot sauce.
4. 4. Seafood chowder: Add smoke flavor to seafood chowder or your favorite fish soups and stews by incorporating chopped smoked oysters. Or, use the oysters to garnish a bowl of New England clam chowder.
5. 5. Shellfish paella: Clams, scallops, and smoked oysters bring luscious savoriness to seasoned saffron rice in this classic dish. Use this Spanish paella recipe as a guide, adding the smoked oysters once you’ve finished cooking the rice.
6. 6. Smoked oyster dip: Blend smoked oysters with cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and scallions for a smoky, savory crudités dip.
7. 7. Toast or crackers: This is an appetizer sure to impress. Replace smoked salmon with smoked oysters on a crisp buttered cracker topped with dill for the perfect single bite.

A low temperature—around 200 degrees Fahrenheit—will cook the oysters slowly and prevent them from drying out into oyster jerky. If this is your first time smoking oysters, here’s what you need to know:

1. 1. Find the right smoker for your home or backyard. A pellet smoker (also known as a pellet grill) allows you to grill, smoke, or roast, all in one. A charcoal smoker uses burning charcoal while an electric smoker runs on electricity (and is the easiest to use). Depending on your space and cooking preferences, these meat smokers are reliable options.
2. 2. Choose the right wood. If you want to use wood chips to smoke your oysters, alder (which has a delicate wood smoke) and cherry wood (which has a fruity brightness) go exceptionally well with this refined mollusk. Learn how to choose the best wood for smoking.
3. 3. Be careful when shucking. Oysters are delicate and can tear easily. Use a shucking knife to loosen the whole oyster away from the shell before pulling it out. Here’s how to shuck an oyster.
4. 4. Smoke them off the shell. Shuck your oysters and smoke them in a grill basket for a faster cook time. This way, the entire oyster gets infused with a smoky flavor in less time. You can save the bottom shells for serving. Simply pour boiling water over the oyster shells and rinse them under cold water to ensure they’re sanitary and debris-free.
5. 5. Keep the temperature consistent. When smoking any variety of meat, keeping the smoker’s temperature consistent is key. Any dramatic dips or elevations in temperature could result in unevenly cooked or dried-out oysters.