Virginia Oyster Stew
Fresh oysters are a big deal on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, so a classic oyster stew recipe has become a Christmas Eve tradition in this part of the country!
Servings 4 people (1 cup per serving)
Calories 288kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk, at room temperature
- ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black 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
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.
Recipe slightly adapted from the cookbook Dishing Up Virginia
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.2g | Protein: 11.9g | Fat: 20.3g | Saturated Fat: 12.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 99.2mg | Sodium: 629.7mg | Potassium: 215.7mg | Sugar: 5.6g