# Easy canned oyster recipes?



## vitauta (Aug 28, 2011)

to keep my spirits up, while waiting for hurricane irene to hit, i bought a few "gourmet" items at the market.  one thing i brought home was two 8 ounce cans of whole oysters.  i don't wish to make a stew, i don't think.  most recipes i've seen online call for fresh oysters.  i really didn't think this thing through, i'm afraid. previously, my experiences with oysters have been pretty much limited to raw oysters and lightly grilled oysters.  and stew.  what relatively easy dish can i make with my canned oysters?  any help would be welcome.


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## Andy M. (Aug 28, 2011)

Oysters, crackers, champagne = Lunch


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## Dawgluver (Aug 28, 2011)

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Oysters, crackers, champagne = Lunch



+1!  Are they smoked?

DH suggested baking them with breadcrumbs and cheese.  Have not tried it.


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## vitauta (Aug 28, 2011)

Dawgluver said:


> +1!  Are they smoked?
> 
> DH suggested baking them with breadcrumbs and cheese.  Have not tried it.




not smoked.  pictured on the cans is a pretty looking pasta dish with fresh tomato wedges, but no recipe!  oh well, i have time to ponder this some more....


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## Timothy (Aug 28, 2011)

Dump the canned oysters into a strainer and either keep the liquid for another recipe or discard.

Then lay them onto paper towels to dry them more.

Dip into a tempura batter and deep fry until golden.

Butter a piece of toast and cut into quarters.

Put one fried oyster between two quarters of toast and munch out!

Serious Yum! 4 Yums on the Yum Meter!


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## Snip 13 (Aug 28, 2011)

I drain mine and then place one in each hole of a snail dish or just a few in a ramekin. Cover with garlicky bechamel and sprinkle with with cheese and paprika. Then stick them under the grill till golden and the cheese melted. Serve with crusty bread of choice


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## dcSaute (Aug 28, 2011)

haven't tried this with canned, but the fresh....:

dry off on paper towel - in a hot pat, 2 pats of butter + olive oil - toss & fry quick - mebbe 2 mins tops - remove oysters, add chopped scallion/shallot saute til soft, add panko & brown panko - adjust consistency to a "crumb mix" - add back oysters to heat thru and serve.  grated cheese as you may wish -  I serve on fresh spinach / arugula / greens / leaves with a side of grits.


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 28, 2011)

Do you have a cat?


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## vitauta (Aug 28, 2011)

Aunt Bea said:


> Do you have a cat?




no cat, aunt bea, why? i do have a garbage disposal.


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 28, 2011)

vitauta said:


> no cat, aunt bea, why? i do have a garbage disposal.



It has been my experience that the notion of canned oysters is much better than the reality.  I do not own a cat but a close friends cat got my second can as a Christmas present many years ago.


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## BigAL (Aug 28, 2011)

I'm w/Aunt Bea.  I used them once for a seafood gumbo, was total crap(oysters).  I liked the juice, but the oysters had a very bad texture before I put them in, but I did it anyway.  

You'd be better off eating the cat and feed the dog the oysters while you make seafood gumbo.      Just a joke.  I'm a dog lover and a cat hater.


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## pacanis (Aug 28, 2011)

I never made it or eaten it, but can canned oysters be used for oyster stuffing? 
It would seem if the quality isn't the same as fresh, and what canned food is, that stuffing might be a good place to use them up.


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## vitauta (Aug 28, 2011)

if canned oysters are so vile, how is it they have been commanding steep prices all this time and brazenly sitting in the gourmet section right next to the caviar? i can't decide whether to give them away to the food bank or to take up the challenge and make something truly amazing with them.  in any event i appreciate everybody's suggestions (and warnings) as to how best to use these canned oysters.  it remains to be seen if they are a gourmet treat, or just a gourmet cat food....


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## Dawgluver (Aug 28, 2011)

vitauta said:
			
		

> if canned oysters are so vile, how is it they have been commanding steep prices all this time and brazenly sitting in the gourmet section right next to the caviar? i can't decide whether to give them away to the food bank or to take up the challenge and make something truly amazing with them.  in any event i appreciate everybody's suggestions (and warnings) as to how best to use these canned oysters.  it remains to be seen if they are a gourmet treat, or just a gourmet cat food....



What about some sort of  oyster pate, Vit?

Chicken livers are somewhat vile, but mix them with garlic, onion, some spices and herbs, and they are pretty good.  Spread on crackers, can hardly tell it's liver.  Maybe mash the oysters up with some lemon juice and other stuff, soy sauce, minced onion, etc.


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 29, 2011)

vitauta said:


> if canned oysters are so vile, how is it they have been commanding steep prices all this time and brazenly sitting in the gourmet section right next to the caviar? i can't decide whether to give them away to the food bank or to take up the challenge and make something truly amazing with them.  in any event i appreciate everybody's suggestions (and warnings) as to how best to use these canned oysters.  it remains to be seen if they are a gourmet treat, or just a gourmet cat food....




Vit,
The best thing to do is try them and then you can form your own honest  opinion.  I would keep the preparation simple so the oysters "shine" through.  I would also have a cat standing by.  Try them drained and heated in a little butter over toast or in an omelet. 
As far as the gourmet aisle in the supermarket goes it has been my experience that when a marketing executive slaps a "gourmet" tag on anything it is better to give it a pass.  This is based on my experience from well meaning friends and business associates giving me gourmet hampers and baskets over the years.  I try to stick with TNT items that have earned an honest reputation over a long period of time.
Good luck!
B


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## salt and pepper (Aug 29, 2011)

They are good breaded and fried, so why not make "po' boys"? A simple sub sandwich with lettuce, tom, and mayo.


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## Timothy (Aug 29, 2011)

vitauta said:


> ...if canned oysters are so vile...


 
Much of the nastiness of canned oysters comes from eating them "as-is", from the can. 

If  you take the time to remove the membrane from each oyster, the remaining oyster will be a strong flavored, mushy oyster goodness.

If that type of texture and taste are good to you in any type of meal or sauce, then go for it.

If you try to chew up that nasty membrane, it will ruin the entire experience. It's not chewable and you'll end up swallowing it whole after chewing the good part out.

Save yourself the hassle and chewing and just remove the membrane first. Then enjoy the oyster that is left. It's about a 50-50 thing. You get to eat half the can of oysters and throw out half a can of chewy membrane.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 29, 2011)

Canned oysters are a complete different animal to fresh but still good in there own right. I only buy smoked. The beard on tinned mussels is tough to chew but I find they are not tough in tinned oysters. They are great as I mentioned grilled with garlic bechamel and cheese but also great just on crackers with a few drops of Tabasco and a sliver of tomato.
I also like making fritters with them and dipping tartare sauce.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 29, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Much of the nastiness of canned oysters comes from eating them "as-is", from the can.
> 
> If  you take the time to remove the membrane from each oyster, the remaining oyster will be a strong flavored, mushy oyster goodness.
> 
> ...



Are you not maybe thinking of the beard on tinned mussels Timmo?
They taste much like the tinned oysters so I get them mixed up sometimes and only notice once I open them and find a fishy rubber band in my mouth 
I'll have to send you some chewable tinned oysters from SA


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## Timothy (Aug 29, 2011)

Snip 13 said:


> Are you not maybe thinking of the beard on tinned mussels Timmo?
> They taste much like the tinned oysters so I get them mixed up sometimes and only notice once I open them and find a fishy rubber band in my mouth
> I'll have to send you some chewable tinned oysters from SA


 
Ha! Nope. I've never bought tinned mussels. There is a good supply of the frozen mussels here.

Fumblebee oysters or whoever...Ha! Nasty! Big thick, nasty, chewy string of rubberbandedness around them. Ewwwwww, chunk city!

The soft middle is really good tho'.


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## Snip 13 (Aug 29, 2011)

Timothy said:


> Ha! Nope. I've never bought tinned mussels. There is a good supply of the frozen mussels here.
> 
> Fumblebee oysters or whoever...Ha! Nasty! Big thick, nasty, chewy string of rubberbandedness around them. Ewwwwww, chunk city!
> 
> The soft middle is really good tho'.



Try John West Oysters if you can find them, they're not chewy just lush and soft!


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## vitauta (Aug 29, 2011)

the oysters i have are a korean product  with the brand name ralphs.  right now i'm leaning toward making pasta with white oyster sauce. i imagine this would be similar to the white clam sauce pasta dish that i already know and like a lot.  wish the caveats had come before i ever picked up these dastardly cans of oysters.  bea, i'm still laughing about having a cat standing by--hilarious!. we do have some cats on the grounds where i live. if worse comes to worst....


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## Snip 13 (Aug 29, 2011)

vitauta said:


> the oysters i have are a korean product  with the brand name ralphs.  right now i'm leaning toward making pasta with white oyster sauce. i imagine this would be similar to the white clam sauce pasta dish that i already know and like a lot.  wish the caveats had come before i ever picked up these dastardly cans of oysters.  bea, i'm still laughing about having a cat standing by--hilarious!. we do have some cats on the grounds where i live. if worse comes to worst....



Post them here, I'll eat them


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## vitauta (Sep 1, 2011)

for the time being, i'm going to be kicking this proverbial can of oysters down the road a piece.  and i'll come back to it when i'm more ready to act....


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