Grilled Gulf Oysters with Jalapeño Lime Butter, Cheese, and Bacon
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare oysters. Cooking them on the grill makes for easy opening. However, it’s always a good idea to have an oyster knife handy to help pry them open and cut the meat away from the shell. The Jalapeño Lime Butter can be made ahead of time and kept cold in a plastic bag or covered container in the cooler. The flavored butter is also delicious on grilled or baked fish, steak, or even with sautéed vegetables, so save any extra and utilize it in another dish. I used a couple pieces of leftover bacon strips from breakfast to top the oysters. Easy-peasy!!
Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 20 min
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6 Gulf Oysters
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½ stick or ¼ c unsalted butter, softened
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½ tsp lime rind, minced
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1 tsp lime juice
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1 tsp minced jalapeño
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1 green onion, thinly sliced crossways
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pinch o salt and pepper
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6 tbsp shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Italian Blend
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2 pieces cooked bacon divided into 6 pieces
Build a fire and allow it to burn down so there are hot coals. This will take about an hour. We dug a hole in the sand on the beach and started the fire in the hole to shelter it from the wind. Swedish Logs work really good for beach fires with a standing grill to go over it. Be sure to check local rules and regulations to be sure you are allowed fires on the beach. You can also make this dish at home on a charcoal or gas grill.
Wash the oysters well in clean water. There was no running water where we had our beach dinner, so I used bottled spring water. They were very dirty, so I had to rinse them several times in a bowl to get all the grit off.
Place the butter in a small bowl to soften. (Note: It was so hot outside that it took less than five minutes for the butter to soften, at home in the AC it might take a half an hour.) To mince the lime rind, carefully cut the green part of the rind off the lime being careful not to get too much of the white bitter pith. Then finely chop it on your cutting board. You can also use a microplane grater and not have to use a knife at all. Add the lime rind, lime juice, minced jalapeño, green onion, and salt and pepper into the softened butter. I like using a fork to do the mixing, but a spoon works too.
Once the fire has died down and the grill is hot, place the oysters on the grill. It will take about 5-10 minutes depending on the heat of the fire for them to begin to open. As soon as they’ve cracked open, remove them from the grill and put them on a plate. (Note: Be careful they will be hot! You may need a paper towel or hot mitt to handle them). Pull the top shell off the oyster and using an oyster knife cut the oyster meat away from the bottom shell to make for easy eating. Try to reserve any liquid coming off the oysters. To each oyster on the half shell, add a half tablespoon of the jalapeño lime butter, then top it with a tablespoon of grated cheese, and finally a piece of bacon. Return the oysters to the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5-10 more minutes.
Remove from the grill and serve with lime wedges.
