Hot from the oven
Rockefeller-style baked oysters
A home-kitchen take with spinach, butter and a crisp crumb top. Not a claim to the original restaurant formula.
4 as a starter · 35 minutes
Cook oysters thoroughly. Keep refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Raw or undercooked oysters can cause serious illness. These recipes use fully cooked oysters. For cooked shellfish, reach 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds. Timing is a guide; verify the food. Public-health cooking guidance ↗
Ingredients
- 12 freshly shucked oysters on clean, heat-safe half shells, held cold
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 cups (90 g) baby spinach, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/3 cup (35 g) panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
- Lemon wedges; coarse salt for supporting shells
Method
- Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Arrange the shells level on a rimmed baking sheet supported by coarse salt. Do not use ordinary rock salt that is not food-grade.
- Melt the butter in a pan. Cook the shallot for 2 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in spinach until wilted. Cook off excess liquid. Stir in parsley.
- Divide the spinach mixture among the oysters. Mix crumbs and Parmesan and scatter over the tops.
- Bake for at least 10 minutes, then verify the oyster meat reaches 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds. Continue cooking if needed. Serve hot with lemon.
The crumbs can brown before the oyster is cooked. Check the oyster itself; cover loosely with foil if the topping colors too fast.
Original recipe developed for this site. Not kitchen-tested; yields and timing are starting estimates. Contains shellfish. Check ingredient labels for milk, wheat, egg, soy and other allergens. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 3-4 days; never leave perishable food out over two hours (one hour above 90°F / 32°C).
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