If you go to the Festival in St. Mary’s today you can catch the national shucking championship and find yourself no shortage of oysters. If you’re from Southern Maryland, or have spent much time in the area you’ll probably know an array of ways to eat an oyster. But did you know that you can drink them or even get them drunk? A couple of Bay Net readers suggested these recipes:
Tequila-Oyster Shooters
Submitted by Steve Hall
Kosher salt, for coating the glass rims
1 dozen oysters, freshly shucked, with their liquor
1 cup chilled fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
12 ounces tequila
Ice
Moisten the rims of 12 shot glasses with water, then dip each glass in kosher salt to coat the rims. Put an oyster into each shot glass.
In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, red bell pepper, shallots, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Pour 1 tablespoon of the lime juice mixture into each of the 12 shot glasses over the oysters.
Pour the tequila into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and shake to chill the tequila. Add about 2 tablespoons of tequila to each of the shot glasses. Serve immediately.
Drunken Oysters
Submitted by Thomas Bean
3 bottles Sam Adams Octoberfest
2 Dozen un-shucked oysters
2 white (clean) dish towels
Salt & Pepper
Texas Pete hot sauce
Place a large baking pan in the center of your oven and pre-heat to 450 degrees (Pan must be very hot).
Pour 2 bottles of beer into a large bowl and add both dish towels. Allow both towels to soak up all the beer and then lightly ring out.
Pour the remaining bottle of beer into the baking sheet. Place oysters in a single layer on the sheet and cover with the beer soaked towels.
Allow the oysters to cook for 10 minutes or until their shells open. Remove from oven and then take the top-shell off the oyster. Put one shot of hot sauce on each oyster and lightly season with salt and pepper.
NOW EAT!!!