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    Home » Recipes » Stovetop

    Published: Dec 3, 2022 · Modified: Feb 15, 2023 by Jeremy Klae · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Spicy Oyster Stew: A New Year Tradition

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Spicy Oyster Stew has been a Christmas and New Year Tradition in many families for decades. It's rich, milky, buttery, surprisingly filling, and doesn't take long to make. The Christmas Eve tradition of eating oyster stew originates from the Irish Catholic community, in which meat was prohibited the night before Christmas.

    Oyster stew served with oyster crackers on the side.

    The New Year's Eve tradition of Oyster Stew was due to the belief that eating oysters increases sex drive and fertility. That said, serve this on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and you'll have a wonderful holiday season!

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Recipes You'll Love
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    If you're looking for a new holiday recipe to replace your existing Oyster Stew tradition, you've come to the right place. This recipe is easy to make, spicy, rich, and soul-warming.

    Ingredients

    This is a straightforward recipe for Oyster Stew and can be even easier if you don't want it to be spicy. Omit the spicy ingredients and keep everything else as is. Either way, you'll have a delicious meal this coming holiday season.

    Dairy: The dairy serves as the base for just about every oyster stew recipe. I used Butter, Whole Milk, and Heavy Cream for this recipe.

    Oysters: Grab 16 oz of fresh oysters at your local grocery store. If you prefer, you can certainly cut the larger Oysters in half. Primarily, if you're serving this to someone who has never had oysters or is slightly put off by the size and texture, also be sure to reserve the liquid they come packed in. You'll be adding that to the milk and butter base.

    Vegetables: The only vegetable I use in this recipe is finely diced onion.

    Seasonings: These Oyster Stew seasonings and spices are entirely optional. However, if you are looking for a Spicy Oyster Stew recipe, this is how I do it. Fresh Garlic, Crushed Red Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Dried Parsley, and Tobasco combine to add extra flavor and heat to this dish.

    See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Onions being sautéd in butter.

    Step 1: Preheat a Cast Iron Dutch Oven over medium-low heat and add the butter until it has melted.

    Once the butter is melted, add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and translucent.

    Now, add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant.

    Herbs and spices are added to sautéd onions.

    Step 2: Stir in all the seasonings and spices, except for the dried parsley, sautéing for about another 2 minutes until everything is fragrant.

    Milk and cream being added to the oyster stew.

    Step 3: Reduce the heat to low and add the milk, cream, and liquid from the oysters.

    Slowly cook this mixture on low to medium-low until it steams. Don't bring it to a boil, or you risk curdling the milk and cream.

    Dried parsley sprinkled over oyster stew.

    Step 4: Sprinkle in the dried parsley.

    Oysters being added to a pot of oyster stew.

    Step 5: Add the oysters to the stew, allowing them to cook until they have curled, about 6-8 minutes.

    Oyster stew served with oyster crackers on the side.

    Step 6: Serve immediately with oyster crackers and Worcestershire sauce.

    Expert Tips

    • I prefer to serve Oyster Stew with Oyster Crackers, Worcestershire Sauce, and a hard roll for dipping or cleaning up the bowl. Trust me; you'll want to get every last drop out of those bowls!
    • Be sure that your soup has cooled a bit before adding the milk; otherwise, you risk curdling the stew. You can always slowly heat the milk before adding it to the pot to avoid this altogether.

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the difference between Oyster Stew and Oyster Soup?

    Oyster Stew and Oyster Soup are interchangeable names for the same dish of oysters in a thin milk or cream-based soup.

    What is the tradition of Oyster Stew on Christmas Eve?

    The Christmas Eve tradition of eating oyster stew originates from the Irish Catholic community, in which meat was prohibited the night before Christmas.

    Is Oyster Stew good for you?

    Oysters are a great source of vitamins and nutrients like B-12 and Vitamin A. That said, Oyster stew typically contains a lot of dairy. So if you have a lactose intolerance, you may want to seek alternatives.

    Why does milk curdle in Oyster Stew?

    Most often, this is from adding cold milk to a hot stew. Be sure that your soup has cooled a bit before adding the milk. You can always slowly heat the milk before adding it to the pot to avoid this altogether. On the other hand, if the soup is already cooled enough, add the milk and slowly bring the stew back up to just a steam.

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    Classic oyster stew served and topped with oyster crackers.

    If you made this Spicy Oyster Stew recipe or any other of my recipes, please leave a Star Rating and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

    Don't forget to tag @chickenfriedkitchen on Instagram, Subscribe on YouTube, and Follow on Pinterest and Facebook! I'll see you there!

    📖 Recipe

    A white bowl full of oyster stew with oyster crackers on the side.

    Spicy Oyster Stew: A New Year Tradition

    Oyster Stew gets a kick of heat from adding spices and hot sauce. Serve on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve as a traditional dinner.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 492kcal
    Author: Jeremy Klae

    Ingredients

    • 4 Tbsp. Salted Butter
    • 1 Yellow Onion - finely diced
    • 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
    • ¼ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
    • ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
    • 1 tsp. Tabasco
    • ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
    • ½ tsp. Black Pepper
    • 4 Cups Whole Milk
    • 2 Cups Heavy Cream
    • 1 tsp. Dried Parsley
    • 16 Oz. Fresh Raw Oysters, undrained

    Instructions

    • Preheat a Cast Iron Dutch Oven over medium-low heat and add the butter until it has melted.
    • Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and translucent.
    • Add the garlic in and continue to sauté for about another 1-2 minutes, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
    • Stir in all the seasonings and spices, except for the dried parsley, sautéing for about another 2 minutes until everything is fragrant.
    • Reduce the heat to low and let it cool just a bit before adding the milk, cream, dried parsley, and liquid from the oysters.
    • Slowly cook this mixture on low to medium-low until it begins to steam. Don't bring it to a boil or you will risk curdling the milk and cream.
    • Add the oysters to the stew allowing them to cook until they have curled, about 6-8 minutes.
    • Serve immediately. Top with oyster crackers, a dash of Worcestershire Sauce, and a warm roll. Add some Tabasco for a little heat!

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    • I prefer to serve Oyster Stew with Oyster Crackers, Worcestershire Sauce, and a hard roll for dipping or cleaning up the bowl. Trust me; you'll want to get every last drop out of those bowls!
    • Be sure that your soup has cooled a bit before adding the milk; otherwise, you risk curdling the stew. You can always slowly heat the milk before adding it to the pot to avoid this altogether.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1891IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ChickenFriedKitchen or tag #chickenfriedkitchen!

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