Oysters are a way of life on the Gulf Coast. The may be an acquired taste, but those that love ‘em simply can’t get enough of these tasty morsels. Truth is, there’s nothing like freshly shucked raw oysters right out of the shell. You might put ‘em on a cracker and add a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cocktail sauce, but their natural flavor is delicious on its own. But if you only eat raw oysters, you’re missing out on a wonderful wing of the culinary world. Track down some fresh, unshucked Gulf oysters and then try one of these seven delightful recipes for your next family meal. https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/Welsey-True-Oyster-Recipe-Sorta.jpg Brown Ale Oyster Stew Do you love fresh Gulf oysters? How about craft-brewed Alabama beer? If you answered “yes” to both, we’ve got great news for you. This hearty recipe is a simple one too—just find a big enough pot and add the ingredients in waves. We’d recommend a Good People Brown Ale or a Back Forty Truck Stop Honey Brown Ale with this one, but your favorite brown ale will do just fine. https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/OYSTERRECIPE_0009_OYSTERS-PLATED.jpg Chargrilled Oysters with Compound Butter and Romano Cheese If anyone ever tells you not to eat Gulf oysters in the summertime, they’ve clearly never had ‘em chargrilled. Once your grill is nice and hot, all you have to do is throw on the fresh Gulf oysters, mix up the compound butter, and drop a dollop on each one (not too much, though; you don’t want to overpower the oyster’s natural flavor). Just add French bread and you’re really cookin’. https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/8_Finish.jpg Herbed Gulf Oyster Stuffing You don’t have to wait ‘til Thanksgiving to enjoy a delicious stuffing, you know. Especially when it’s got fresh Gulf oysters scattered throughout. (And bacon!) Start by baking your bread cubes in the oven while the bacon is sizzling, then it’s mostly a matter of prepping and tossing the ingredients together. The stuffing will need to cook for an hour, so plan ahead with this one. https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/Dixie-Fish14301.jpg Orange & Blue Oyster Poppers Their colors may scream “Auburn,” but these tasty treats are nonpartisan when it comes to flavor. And speaking of flavor, there’s so much packed into this sauce to complement the Gulf oysters, it might be a bit overwhelming at first—hot sauce, honey, buttermilk, and of course bleu cheese to top it all off. If you’re feeding a few people, make sure you’ve got enough oysters, because these will go fast! https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/Oyster-Rockefeller.jpg Oysters Rockefeller Named for the industrial tycoon on account of its “richness,” Oyster Rockefeller is among the truest Southern culinary traditions you’ll find, thanks to our neighbors in Louisiana. The Conecuh bacon adds a little bit of Alabama flair to the dish, and if you can find locally grown spinach or a local hot sauce, even better. A must-try for any native Southerner or foodie enthusiast! https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/1-Header-e1448396554924.jpg{IMAGE_END} Gramma Byrne’s Scalloped Oysters These recipes just taste a little bit better when you know grandma wrote ‘em, don’t they? This excellent dish comes from the Nelson family of Bon Secour Oysters, purveyors of fresh Gulf oysters for more than a century. All you have to do is add a handful of ingredients, layer ‘em accordingly, and then let it bake for half an hour. Perfect as a side dish for a Gulf seafood feast! https://eatalabamaseafood.test/media/1_Header.jpg Wintzell’s Oyster Stew For a simpler, alcohol-free alternative to the Brown Ale Oyster Stew, try this tasty recipe from Wintzell’s Oyster House, an Alabama original since 1938. The beauty of this recipe is that it’ll only cost you five ingredients, and two of them are salt and pepper. Just make sure you’re buying fresh Gulf oysters—and save that oyster liquor! (You’ll need it later on in the recipe.) You’ve got several delicious recipes to dive into—now all you have to do is get those Gulf oysters. Use our tracker tool to find the nearest seafood markets in your area, and let them know you want Alabama product!