Fresh oysters are a big deal on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, so a classic Oyster Stew has become a Christmas Eve tradition in this part of the country. Whether you serve it for Thanksgiving in New England, or enjoy a warm bowl for a cozy weeknight supper in other parts of the world, this rich and creamy soup will soon become a favorite in your home as well!
We live near the mountains in Central Virginia (not on the coastline); however, those fresh, briny oysters from the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries make a regular appearance in our neck of the woods at oyster roasts, in country markets, and on holiday tables!
Along with ham and peanuts, oysters are one of the local prides from our state, and this traditional oyster stew recipe is a simple way to showcase their flavor.
What is Oyster Stew?
Oyster Stew is a soup (or stew) made with oysters in a creamy broth. In New England, Oyster Stew is often associated with Thanksgiving, while in Virginia it is typically prepared on Christmas Eve.
Why is Oyster Stew a Christmas Eve tradition?
There are a few different guesses as to why this stew has become a staple on many Christmas Eve menus. Bill Neal suggests that before the acceptance of refrigerated food transport, sufficient cold weather for shipping was not guaranteed before December, and so "Far from the coast, oysters became a symbol of the arrival of the winter holiday season, appearing in the markets by Christmas Eve and on tables that night as oyster stew." (source)
Stephanie Butler, however, offers a different explanation: Irish Catholic immigrants would not eat meat on Christmas Eve, and were used to eating ling fish stew instead. Since "oysters taste pretty similar to dried ling: they're salty, briny and can be quite chewy. The ling stew recipe was quickly adapted for oysters." (source)
How to make Oyster Stew:
It sounds fancy, and it tastes special, but this is actually one of the easiest soup recipes that you will ever make! I adapted this recipe from the cookbook Dishing Up Virginia, and the whole pot of stew is ready in less than 30 minutes!
Here's what you'll need:
- Whole milk
- Half-and-half or heavy cream
- Salt, pepper and ground nutmeg
- Butter
- Shucked oysters in their liquor
- Worcestershire sauce
First, place the milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a pot and warm over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Don't let it boil!
Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, sauté the oysters in the butter, liquor and Worcestershire sauce, just until the edge of the oysters begins to curl (this will only take about 2-3 minutes).
I buy jars of Virginia oysters at a local country market here in Madison. Don't drain that liquor from the bottle -- it adds so much great flavor to the broth in this stew!
Transfer the oyster mixture to the pot of milk, cook over medium-low heat for about 2 more minutes, and then ladle into bowls and serve.
What to serve with Oyster Stew:
Garnish each bowl of stew with freshly chopped chives or sliced green onions. Oyster crackers or a French baguette are also nice options to offer on the side.
If you're serving wine, here are a few good choices to pair with your oyster stew:
- Muscadet and other crisp, dry white wines
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- How to keep oyster stew from curdling: With any milk or cream-based soup, it's important to make sure that you don't let the soup boil and get too hot, or the liquid will curdle. Keep the stew over medium-low or low heat and watch it closely.
- How long does Oyster Stew last? Fresh oysters (live or shucked) will keep in your refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once cooked, the stew will keep in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can Oyster Stew be frozen? I do not recommend freezing oyster stew. The milk and cream have a tendency to "break" when thawed, which gives the stew an unappetizing texture.
- Can you reheat the soup? Yes. Refrigerated oyster stew can be reheated over low heat when ready to serve. Again, just make sure that you don't boil the broth or it may curdle.
- Is Oyster Stew good for you? This is a very rich dish, so a little goes a long way. We typically serve a small cup of stew as a "starter" with a larger holiday meal. Each cup has about 288 calories, so it's a high-calorie option than a lot of other soups and stews. There is a good amount of protein and fat in the dish, but it is not low-carb and therefore would not be appropriate for the Keto diet (each cup includes 14 grams of carbohydrates).
- Crock Pot Oyster Stew: If you're hosting a party and you'd like to have your stew on the counter for your guests to help themselves, you can prepare the stew in the slow cooker. To do so, place the milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a slow cooker on HIGH for 1 ½ hours. Cook the oysters in the skillet as instructed in the recipe below, and then transfer the oyster mixture to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to LOW and continue cooking (stirring occasionally) for about 1-2 more hours.
- This recipe yields 4 cups of stew, or enough for about 4 small servings. If you would like to serve this dish to a larger group, you can multiply all of the ingredients accordingly. For instance, double the ingredients for 8 cups, triple the ingredients for 12 cups, and so on.
More easy soup recipes that you might enjoy:
Virginia Oyster Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 pint shucked oysters, liquor included
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- For garnish: chopped fresh chives, sliced green onions, or a dash of paprika
Instructions
- Place milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a medium saucepan or soup pot. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, just until hot (about 10 minutes). Do not boil.
- In a separate skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add the oysters, liquor and Worcestershire sauce. Sauté until the edge of the oysters just begin to curl (2-3 minutes). Transfer the oyster mixture to the pot of milk, and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 more minutes. Do not boil.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chives or paprika, if desired.
Notes
- How to keep oyster stew from curdling: With any milk or cream-based soup, it's important to make sure that you don't let the soup boil and get too hot, or the liquid will curdle. Keep the stew over medium-low or low heat and watch it closely.
- How long does Oyster Stew last? Fresh oysters (live or shucked) will keep in your refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once cooked, the stew will keep in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can Oyster Stew be frozen? I do not recommend freezing oyster stew. The milk and cream have a tendency to "break" when thawed, which gives the stew an unappetizing texture.
- Can you reheat the soup? Yes. Refrigerated oyster stew can be reheated over low heat when ready to serve. Again, just make sure that you don't boil the broth or it may curdle.
- Is Oyster Stew good for you? This is a very rich dish, so a little goes a long way. We typically serve a small cup of stew as a "starter" with a larger holiday meal. Each cup has about 288 calories, so it's a high-calorie option than a lot of other soups and stews. There is a good amount of protein and fat in the dish, but it is not low-carb and therefore would not be appropriate for the Keto diet (each cup includes 14 grams of carbohydrates).
- Crock Pot Oyster Stew: If you're hosting a party and you'd like to have your stew on the counter for your guests to help themselves, you can prepare the stew in the slow cooker. To do so, place the milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a slow cooker on HIGH for 1 ½ hours. Cook the oysters in the skillet as instructed in the recipe below, and then transfer the oyster mixture to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to LOW and continue cooking (stirring occasionally) for about 1-2 more hours.
- This recipe yields 4 cups of stew, or enough for about 4 small servings. If you would like to serve this dish to a larger group, you can multiply all of the ingredients accordingly. For instance, double the ingredients for 8 cups, triple the ingredients for 12 cups, and so on.
The perfect Oyster Stew...no need for onions, celery, garlic or anything else that will take away from the fresh oyster taste. The Worchestershire sauce is a must. If you want a true "Oyster Stew" this is it! Thank you for the post, all others are unecessary
Wonderful! I'm so happy to hear that you love it too, Jane! I agree -- the simple, delicious recipe is the best! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Please take the spoons out of those bowls! Very bad manners to leave a spoon in a bowl,.
You must really fancy yourself a real culinary critic--but do you know anything about REAL food???