Oyster Stew: A Warm Holiday Tradition
There’s something magical about enjoying a bowl of rich, aromatic oyster stew by the flickering light of a cozy fireplace during Thanksgiving or Christmas. This dish, steeped in history, harks back to a time before commercial refrigeration when oysters were abundant, affordable, and emblematic of winter’s bounty. With the colder months ushering in oyster season, they could be safely shipped long distances, making them a staple for festive gatherings.
This recipe pays homage to that tradition while incorporating modern touches for maximum flavor. It begins with freshly shucked live oysters, the heart of the dish, complemented by the crunch and subtle sweetness of celery and onion. Bacon fat and smoked paprika add depth as creole seasoning, and tomato paste build layers of savory warmth. A generous portion of cream lends velvety sweetness, and Pernod liqueur offers an elegant hint of sweet anise.
Inspired by Andrew Zimmern—renowned not just for his adventurous palate but also his culinary expertise. While Zimmern is famous for eating horrific delicacies like durian, Icelandic hákarl, and stinky tofu, this oyster stew promises a more universally appealing experience. This recipe tweaks his classic version to suit my palate and I believe it will yours too. One taste, and you’ll understand why this timeless dish has earned its place in holiday season for generations.
Oyster Stew Step by Step
Place the cream in a small saucepot to warm over lowest heat before adding to the stew. This will help prevent curdling. Then, cook the bacon in a large pot over low heat to render the fat. When crisp, remove the bacon to snack on, we only want the fat in the stew.
Melt the butter with the bacon fat, add creole seasoning, celery, onion, paprika and tomato paste. Stir together over medium-low heat for 6 minutes, being careful not to scorch the ingredients.
When the onions become limp add the reserved oyster liquor and clam juice. Bring back to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Drizzle in the warm cream while stirring, then the Pernod. Simmer for another 9-10 minutes, until the stew slightly thickens. Add the oysters and cook until it returns to a simmer – about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, season with the worcestershire sauce, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste. Garnish with chives and serve with toasted, buttered baguette.
Oyster Stew
Oyster stew with butter, cream, celery, onion and Pernod
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 36 –48 freshly shucked oysters – with their liquor
- 1 slice bacon – rendered for the fat, eat the bacon while cooking
- 1 TBL unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 1/2 cup sliced yellow onion – packed
- 1/2 TBL smoked paprika
- 1 TBL tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp creole seasoning
- 1–1/2 TBL worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Pernod liqueur
- 1 cup clam juice – strained
- 2 cups heavy cream
- Chives – garnish
- Buttered toast or saltine crackers
- Hot Sauce – optional
Instructions
- Place the cream in a small saucepot to warm over lowest heat before adding to the stew. This will help prevent curdling.
- Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat to render the fat. Remove the bacon and eat it! We only want the fat in the stew
- Add the butter, creole seasoning, celery, onion, paprika and tomato paste Stir together over medium-low heat, being careful not to scorch the ingredients for 6 minutes. When the onions become transparent add the reserved oyster liquor and clam juice. Bring back to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes
- Drizzle in the warm cream while stirring, then the pernod. Simmer for another 9-10 minutes, until the stew slightly thickens. Add the oysters and cook until it returns to a simmer.
- Remove from heat, season with the worcestershire sauce, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
- Garnish with chives and serve with buttered, toasted bread or saltines and hot sauce
Notes
- Don’t overcook the oysters, you want them poached and soft
- (3) dozen oysters are a minimum for this dish. You can never have too many oysters and a full dozen per serving is even better
Shucking Oysters
I highly recommend performing this task yourself, because it’s easy and the best stew is made with fresh, live oysters. But how did they get shucked back in the “good old days”? It’s important to remember that not everything was better. Our mind fools us into believing that, by letting the bad stuff fade from memory. It helps us focus on the good stuff and that’s where we re-live the fond memories and call it nostalgia.
At the turn of the 20th century child labor was still wide spread in abusive, dangerous and unhealthy circumstances. One of the jobs was oyster-shucking. These girls and others did the dirty work in 1912. Credit photographer Louis Hines, an early crusader against child labor.
