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Oyster Stew Recipe – This delicious fresh Oyster Stew is full of seafood flavor and such an easy recipe to make! It’s a family favorite stew that is ready in minutes!
This Oyster Stew recipe is a family classic. You see, my granddaddy loved it more than any other dish on a cold winter day.
I always looked forward to the days my grandmother would make her recipe because it was a favorite of mine, too. I would watch as she prepared the stew. She always made cooking look so easy! And this Oyster Stew is definitely a simple recipe my family has enjoyed for years.
Oyster Stew Recipe
This recipe makes the best oyster stew I’ve ever had. And I love that this is so easy to make on any cold night when the craving hits! There’s nothing like the deliciously rich seafood flavor of the oysters and the creaminess of the onions and milk from this stew! It is so comforting, satisfying and is ready in minutes.
The best oysters for this oyster stew are fresh. As in the fresher the better. But, if I have a craving for this stew and am no where near fresh oysters, I have found that the seafood section of my grocery store usually has a very good selection of oysters that work perfectly.
How to Make Fresh Oyster Stew
To make this stew, you’ll need:
Ingredients
- fresh oysters – pint packed in their own juice
- butter
- yellow onion – chopped
- whole milk
- half-and-half
- salt and pepper – use to taste
Step by Step Instructions
Prep. Drain juice from the pint of fresh oysters into a small bowl and set aside for later use. Do not discard the juice, or “oyster liquor”.
Melt butter. Add butter to a large saucepan and melt over medium-low heat until completely melted.
Cook onion. Add chopped onions to melted butter and cook until translucent and tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Cook liquids. Stir in your reserved juices, or oyster liquor, and cook until reduced mostly reduced, about 10 minutes. Then add in the milk and half-and-half and heat to simmer. Do not let the liquids reach a boil as this will cause your milk to curdle.
Add oysters. Now stir in the fresh oysters and allow to simmer until the edges of the oysters begin to curl, about 8 minutes.
Remove from heat. Once edges of oysters have started to curl, removed the oyster stew from the heat. Allow to cool slightly.
Season and serve. Then, stir in salt and pepper to taste and serve with crackers.
Other Favorite Stews and Soups
There’s nothing like a delicious soup or stew when you want a comfort food, especially on a chilly day! Here are a few more of our family favorites you may want to try as well. There are many more under “Soups” category here on my site. Enjoy!
Southern Chicken and Dumplings
Here’s my Grandmother’s Oyster Stew Recipe. Hope you like it as much my Granddaddy and I always have.
Oyster Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh oysters packed in their juice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain juice from oysters into small bowl. Set aside.
- Add butter to large saucepan. Heat on medium-low heat until melted.
- Add chopped onions and cook until translucent and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add oyster liquor and cook until mostly reduced, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in milk and half-and-half and heat to simmer. Do not allow to boil as it will cause your milk to curdle.
- Add oysters and continue on simmer until outer edges of oysters curl, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, and add salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Serve with mini saltines or oyster crackers.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
This is the BEST oyster stew recipe. I’ve been making oyster stew for years but this takes it to a new level. I now use fresh oysters and that also makes a difference. I like to sprinkle a little sweet Hungarian paprika in each bowl along with a few sliced tops of green onions. Thank you for sharing your recipe!!!
Awesome! I’m going to add a little old bay seafood seasoning to this one
Just like what my Mom and Grandmother made😋
This is the recipe my grandma used for my grandpa also and one I have used for myself. Last night however, I added diced yellow potatoes and it knocked my socks off!!!
I haven’t tried that, Shelly, but it sounds good.
Exactly what I was wanting to do (add some tatters) , glad someone tried it ! Can’t wait to try it myself!
I have been looking for an oyster stew recipe that tasted like the oyster stew I had as a child. This is it. The flavor of the oysters prevail as opposed to the other ingredients and spices added in other recipes. Thanks!
Robyn, your recipe brought me back home! I’m from NH and living in the south and miss the New England real way to cook seafood. This is the only way to enjoy oyster stew… thank you!!!!
Oh, thanks so much, Kelly. I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed it.
This is almost a perfect rendition of the oyster stew i grew up with and have made all of my adult life. My dad only added a splash of Worcestershire and white pepper in place of some of the black pepper. I think Robins method is much better however by reducing the liquor.
I haven’t tried this oyster stew with Worcestershire and white pepper but it sounds great. Thanks for letting us know how your dad made his oyster stew.
I addded a bit of fresh parsley. My great grandmother an Ocean City Md woman always did. That and Fresh Chincoteague oysters
I haven’t tried the fresh parsley, Robin, but it sounds good. Thanks for the tip.
Great recipe! I followed it to the letter. I do like a little celery taste so I added 1/8 teaspoon of celery seed. I believe this made it a touch better.
Thanks, Guy. I haven’t tried it with celery. Thanks for the tip.