Grilled Oysters with Spicy Miso Butter

Oyster lovers rejoice! This easy grilled oyster recipe with spicy miso butter is sure to please. Don’t forget to grab a baguette to soak up all the delicious juices.

By
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie Morford
Katie Morford, MS, RD
Katie is a culinary dietitian with a master's degree in clinical nutrition. She has 25 years of experience as a recipe developer, writer, and teacher.
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Updated February 23, 2022
Katie Morford
Two grilled oysters on a plate.
Mike Lang

This is what I call a party trick recipe—it’s that dish you pull out during the warm summer months when you really want to knock everyone’s socks off. As it should be, because when you opt not to eat oysters deliciously raw, they better be done right. And these grilled oysters are indeed done right.

Each one is dabbed with spicy miso butter that melts into a rich, bubbling, deeply golden sauce that pairs perfectly with the briny bivalves. Be sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand, because you’ll want to mop up the buttery juices that remain once you’ve plucked the oysters from their shells.  

How to Shop for Oysters

When it comes to buying oysters, you don’t want to mess around. They are sold live and should stay that way until it comes time to eat them. Find a fishmonger or seafood shop that you trust. A good oyster should have a briny, minerally smell. If it smells funky or unpleasant, toss it out.

When it comes to eating raw oysters, I tend to favor tiny, more delicate varieties. With grilled oysters, though, I like a little more heft. Seek out medium to large oysters for this recipe if you can find them. The spicy miso butter has a robust flavor, so can benefit from a bit more meat in that shell.

How to Store Oysters

As for how to store your oysters, I got the best advice from Peter Prime, owner of Duxbury Prime Oysters in Massachusetts (who also happens to be my cousin).

Peter said he typically buries oysters in a cooler of ice, so they’re completely surrounded. He sets that in a shady spot in the backyard with the drain unplugged. The oysters will stay good and cold for a day or two without sitting in a pool of water, since it will drain off as the ice melts.

Just be sure to replenish the ice from time to time so that the oysters stay nice and cold and surrounded by ice.              

If you have neither cooler nor backyard (or live in such heat that keeping things cool outdoors is impossible). Peter suggests refrigerating oysters in a bowl covered with a damp towel to provide a barrier and keep them moist.

One last tip from Peter? Before grilling, dump the oysters in the sink and give them a good scrub under running water.

Oysters on the grill to show how to grill oysters.
Mike Lang

No Shucking Required

One of the major upsides to grilled oysters is that you get to skip the most taxing part of the process: the shucking. Shucking takes time, is messy, and can be dangerous for the uninitiated.

The heat of the grill cracks the shells open for you. And that popped shell is like a built-in thermometer, signaling the oysters are cooked. You can use an oyster knife to help remove the shells but an ordinary paring knife will do the job as well.

Upside of Grilling Oysters

I’m a fan of oysters pretty much any way I can get them, but that’s not the case for everyone.

Grilling oysters cooks them completely, which means they are a great gateway for those who aren’t so sure about raw shellfish. They’re also an option when raw seafood isn’t advised, such as for pregnant women, young children, and folks with a compromised immune system.

Overhead view of the best grilled oysters on a baking tray with sliced bread next to it.
Mike Lang

About that Spicy Miso Butter

Not only is grilling oysters easy as can be, but the spicy miso butter is also a snap to make as well. It’s just three ingredients: butter, white miso, and sriracha.

If you’re unfamiliar with miso, Hetty McKinnon, author of the cookbook, “To Asia, With Love” discusses miso in this guide to an everyday Asian pantry. It’s a salty, umami-rich paste made of fermented soybeans that packs a whole lot of flavor into a few little teaspoons.

How to Serve Grilled Oysters

It’s best to serve these oysters as soon as they’re done. Here are a few tips and suggestions:

  • Line a large platter with a layer of rock salt, kosher salt, or even ordinary uncooked rice. That way you can nestle the grilled oysters into the salt or rice to keep them from tipping over and spilling that precious sauce.
  • Set out a baguette with the oysters (feel free to warm it on the grill if you like). You can leave it whole, inviting your guests to tear off a hunk or two, or cut it into slices.
  • Pair the oysters with a dry sparkling wine or a crisp, minerally white.
Two grilled oysters on a plate.
Mike Lang

Grilled Oysters with Spicy Miso Butter

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 7 mins
Total Time 22 mins
Servings 4 servings
Yield 24 oysters

Ingredients

  • 2 dozen medium to large fresh oysters in the shell

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons white miso paste

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha

  • 1 large lime, zested

  • 1 baguette, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat your grill:

    If you’re using a gas grill, turn it to high, cover with the lid and let preheat for 10 minutes.

    If using a charcoal grill, light the coals and let them get hot. The grill is hot enough when you hold your hand an inch above the grill grates and can only leave it there for a few seconds.

    A grill smoking to show how to grill oysters.
    Mike Lang
  2. Make the miso butter:

    In a small bowl combine the butter, miso paste, and sriracha using a fork until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.

    Mixing the miso butter in a metal bowl for a grilled oyster recipe.
    Mike Lang
  3. Clean the oysters:

    Rinse the oysters under cold running water. Use a scrub brush or kitchen towel to slough off any dirt.

    Scrubbing oysters for a grilled oysters recipe.
    Mike Lang
  4. Grill the oysters:

    Place the oysters on the hot grill, flat-side up, and cover with the lid. Cook until the oysters crack open. They won’t necessarily open wide like a clam, just look for a little crack.

    Occasionally an oyster refuses to open. Not to worry, it will be fully cooked, and you can wedge it open using an oyster knife. If you open the oyster and it smells “off” or unpleasant, toss it out.

    The time will vary depending on the heat of the grill and size of the oysters, 3 to 6 minutes.

    Best grilled oysters on the grill.
    Mike Lang
    Tongs lifting an oyster off the grill for the best grilled oysters.
    Mike Lang
  5. Transfer to a platter and open oysters:

    Use tongs to transfer the oysters to a platter, including any oysters that haven’t cracked open (they are fully cooked and are fine to eat unless they have an unpleasant smell).

    When the oysters are cool enough to handle, use an oyster or paring knife to pry the flat lid off each oyster and loosen it from the shell. Do your best not to spill the tasty oyster juices. You want each oyster tucked into the well of its shell. Discard the flat top shell.

    Any oysters that haven't opened should be fairly easy to wedge open. Hold each unopened oyster using a sturdy kitchen towel to protect your hand and insert an oyster knife in the narrow end of the shell. Wiggle until the shell lifts off.

    Opening a grilled oyster with an oyster knife.
    Mike Lang
    Holding an open grilled oyster.
    Mike Lang
    A platter of opened grilled oysters.
    Mike Lang
  6. Spoon miso butter onto oysters and return to grill:

    Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of miso butter onto each oyster and set on the grill using tongs. Cover and grill until the butter bubbles, 30 to 60 seconds.

    Adding the miso butter to the grilled oysters.
    Mike Lang
    Grilled oysters with miso butter on top.
    Mike Lang
    Bubbling miso butter on grilled oysters for the best grilled oysters.
    Mike Lang
  7. Transfer to a platter:

    Spread uncooked rice or a rock salt over a large platter to help stabilize the oysters. (If you want to.) Place the oysters on top and add a little lime zest over the top.

  8. Serve:

    Serve with the baguette, to be torn and dunked into the melted miso butter that lingers in the shells.

    Overhead view of the best grilled oysters on a baking tray with sliced bread next to it.
    Mike Lang
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
355 Calories
19g Fat
16g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 355
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 181mg 60%
Sodium 478mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 22mg 109%
Calcium 31mg 2%
Iron 14mg 77%
Potassium 473mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.