A bright, savory finish
Ginger-scallion steamed oysters
Steam shell-on oysters thoroughly, then add a warm ginger-scallion dressing. The sauce finishes the flavor, not the food-safety step.
4 as a starter · 30 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 live shell-on oysters, refrigerated and scrubbed
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Method
- Discard cracked oysters and any open oysters that do not close when tapped. Scrub under cold running water; do not soak in fresh water.
- Bring water to a boil below a steamer basket. Place oysters in the basket, cover and steam. Once shells open, continue steaming for 4-9 minutes. Discard any that never open. Check meat reaches 145°F (63°C) for 15 seconds.
- Meanwhile heat the neutral oil in a small pan. Cook ginger for 30 seconds, add scallions briefly, then turn off the heat and stir in soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil.
- With heat-safe gloves and a proper oyster knife, remove the top shells from the cooked oysters. Add a little warm dressing and serve hot.
Soy sauce contains wheat unless labeled gluten-free. Oyster shells and steam are very hot; opening shells is not itself the end of cooking.
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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