Oyster Stew Recipe
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This delicious fresh Oyster Stew recipe is full of flavor and an easy recipe to make! It’s a family favorite that is ready in minutes!
This oyster stew recipe is a family classic. 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 nowhere 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
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- fresh oysters – pint packed in their 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.
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 oysters,, fresh, packed in their juice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 sweet 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I’ve never heard anyone else eating oyster stew! I grew up on it too and it’s my comfort food. The only difference is we add small diced potatoes to the butter/juice/onion mixture and simmer about 5 minutes (they are tiny pieces). I’m the only one in my house now who eats it but the picture makes me think I’ll make some! Thanks for posting.
So good, isn’t it, Chrissy?! Glad you were reminded about it – will be great on a chilly winter night! Thanks!
How long could you freeze oysters ?
My sister taught us to make oyster stew for years now. Put all ingredients in at one time and stir
until comes to boil, oysters will be curled by then, remove and its ready… no vegetables in this one.
Sounds like the way my mom made it.
I too have great memories as a child when my Dad would make it. Now I worry about the fat and calorie count. Anyone guess the calorie and fat is ceiling could eat the whole thing
What memories this brings back for me. My Gran made oyster stew for my grandpop. I don’t remember if she started by sauteeing (in real butter) celery and onion, then added the milk, cream and oysters, or not using these at all. But I do remember she would sprinkle it with paprika and float a pat of butter on top. Oh, my!
Aren’t those the best memories? Now, I’m craving a bowl of this stew for supper!
I always added potato cut in small cubes, celery chopped about 1/2 inch and sautéed onions in butter. Boiled the potato cubes and celery until tender and add them in with the oysters. Season with salt and pepper. When I serve a bowl of stew I splash a dab of Old Bay Seasoning in the center. Not only does it gives it a seafood flavor but a nice presentation,
Sounds delicious!
Making the Oyster Stew this year. I love this on Christmas Eve as it is a tradition in our family.
What size oysters to use for stew standard or select
Hi Barbara,
You can use either. I hope you love this stew!
Grew up on an Iowa farm. We always had oyster stew on Christmas Eve. Wasn’t a favorite as children but now we love it! Great recipe…just like Mom made.
How neat is that! I love that idea, Mary! It was my Granddaddy’s favorite!
I grew up in Nebraska and we always had oyster stew on Christmas Eve, too!
When I made the stew the milk curdled. What happened?
Hi Ginny,
So sorry you had problems with it! It sounds like the heat was a little to high on your stovetop. I would recommend reducing the heat next time and only allowing the liquid to reach a low simmer. I hope that helps!
I will .. Thanks you..
My milk curdled as well, the first time – but I forgot you cannot add milk to boilimg water. Simmerworked fine ! Love this recipe !
I remember eating the most delicious oyster and artichoke stew growing up in Louisiana and I never see it on any menu in Georgia where I now live. I will definitely have to give this a try…even if I am the only one in the house who will eat it! As you said, good, more for me!!!