Holiday Oyster Dressing

Download PDF This Southern classic has graced the Myers holiday table for as long as I can remember.

Oyster Dressing in all its glory on my Mother's Christmas table in the casserole dish that has held it my entire life!

Full disclosure: as a kid, I hated it. Little wonder, as fresh oysters were not exactly plentiful in Scio Ohio, and the pasteurized versions available to my folks in the 70s reeked. My take on it didn’t change until fairly recently, when Orville discovered it on a holiday visit to Ohio. Since he LOVED it, I decided to take a crack at it, and low and behold, this fluffy briny buttery masterpiece emerged and became a staple on OUR holiday table (and once or twice just because.)

Now, with beautiful briny oysters plentiful all over (stick with the fresh ones from a really good fish counter), the true magic of this coastal classic can be had anywhere. The oysters are KEY, though. While we’ve made perfectly wonderful versions all over (thank you Whole Foods), this recipe truly blossomed with the amazingly sweet, plump oysters we got from Pike’s Place Market in Seattle. When you can see the water they came from as you pay for them, you’re likely in for a special treat!

Enjoy this at your holiday table this year – did I mention it’s super easy?

Holiday Oyster Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 8 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

10 to 16 oz fresh oysters (I use 10-12 oz jars of medium oysters, but I’ve made it just fine with 8oz!)
2 cups Ritz crackers crushed
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 egg
3/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup oyster liquor reserved from the jar

Directions:

Drain the oysters, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid.

Combine cracker crumbs, salt & pepper and butter. Put 1/3 of the crumbs in buttered 8″ casserole. Cover with half the oysters. Make a second layer (leave off crumbs on top).

Beat the egg, oyster liquor and half & half. Pour over oysters. Top with remaining crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 45 min, until puffy and brown and bubbly. Serve immediately while light and fluffy!