The beauty of oyster stew is that it is absurdly easy to prepare. If you've never made oyster stew before, there are a few things about New England oyster stew recipe you should know before getting started.
Although oyster stew is a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, you don't have to wait until the holidays to try this delectable recipe! This recipe can be made year-round using jarred oysters.
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Why is oyster stew a Thanksgiving and Christmas must-have?
Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time to gather with family and friends and celebrate what matters most, our connection to one another. Oysters actually played a larger role in the origination of the holiday than you’d think.
Oysters were a simple meal to get by during this time period. Ships had to be careful not to go aground on oyster beds in the Chesapeake Bay during the 17th and 18th centuries. Oysters were so numerous, according to a historian from 1702, that they could be taken almost entirely by hand from the sea. Oyster harvesting by Native Americans has also been documented.
Colonists ate so many oysters as the colonies grew that the population was critically low by the nineteenth century. As a result, oysters remained a luxury item for the rich until the 1880s, when production exploded and prices plummeted once more.
By the 1840s, canning methods and railways had made it possible to transport mollusks throughout the country. The Great Oyster Craze swept America in the nineteenth century, with no event or celebration complete without the host offering oysters.
Oysters were still a Thanksgiving staple at the beginning of the century. They were served in train carriages and at five-star meals such as the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The Department of Fish and Wildlife even issued a press statement in 1954 titled “Oysters- A Thanksgiving Tradition”
Oysters have remained a popular southern cuisine in recent times. However, they've been showing up on Thanksgiving and Christmas menus increasingly regularly in recent years.
How to cook New England oyster stew?
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound butter
- 1 quart oysters
- 1 quart whole milk
- Salt, pepper to taste
Recipe Notes
- Serving: 6
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total: 30 minutes
Instructions
- In a big saucepan, melt the butter. Toss in the oysters, together with their liquid. Heat the oysters until they curl.
- In the meantime, warm the whole milk and half-and-half together. When the oysters have curled, add them to the saucepan.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. There will be a lot of spice in this stew.
- Bring to serving temperature before serving.
How to store New England oyster stew?
The oyster stew can last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. But what if you want to freeze this oyster stew?
If possible, you should try to cook just enough and eat it all in one time or at most preserve it for the time mentioned above. Otherwise, we recommend that you do not freeze oyster stew, because the ingredients are made from milk-based broth which has an unstable texture, easily separates water, causing the dish to become mushy after thawing on surface.
How to reheat leftover oyster stew?
You should reheat this dish in a pot on the stove over medium-low or low heat until it gets warm enough (watch it carefully). Don't let it boil because the mixture can curdle.
Is oyster stew good for you?
Oyster stew has higher calorie than a lot of other soups or stews. This dish is rich of protein and fat but not be appropriate for the Keto diet which serves low-carb dishes. Each cup of oyster stew can include 14 grams of carbohydrates.
Serving Size: 1 (370) g
% DAILY VALUE
- Calories: 567
- Calories from Fat 383 g (68 %)
Total Fat 42.7 g (65 %)
- Saturated Fat 25.1 g (125 %)
- Cholesterol 192.2 mg (64 %)
- Sodium 431.4 mg (17 %)
Total Carbohydrate 22.2 g (7 %)
- Dietary Fiber 0 g (0 %)
- Sugars 8.5 g (33 %)
- Protein 24.3 g (48 %)
Watch more rich buttery warm flavor New England oyster stew recipe.
New England oyster stew recipe revolutions
You can use canned oysters substitute for fresh oysters in this stew. Just ensure that they are completely heated through and don't curl when cooked in the butter.
To flavor recipe, before add the oysters and other ingredients, you should sauté slowly some chopped onion, shallots or garlic in the butter over low heat, because they overcook easily and resulting in a bitter taste instead of sweet.
Tips for cooking the best New England oyster stew
- If you use jars of raw oysters, you should keep the oyster liquor, it adds rich flavor to the broth and make the stew more delicious.
- Most of the mistakes people often make when making stews and soups is to let the heat boil quickly and cook quickly, which causes the main liquid, which is milk, to quickly thicken and curdle. Therefore, you should keep the oyster stew from getting too hot, not letting it simmer with a little foam on the surface. Also, don't forget to let the liquid come to room temperature before pouring it into the pot.
- Use the whole milk because it is less likely to curdle when cooked.
- Garnish with green onions, parsley or other herbs like chives,... for a colorful looking.
Fishermen's Net believes that you can make the greatest New England oyster stew dishes by those detailed instructions. And if you're having trouble locating a respectable oyster seller, give us a call right now! Please share our recipe with your friends and family if you find them useful. Thank you for reading, and I hope you find some delicious recipes to try at home with your family.
- Website: www.mualobster.com
- Address: 36 Bath Rd, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA
- Tel: +1 (207) 844 8343
