BAY TABLES

Left Farm-raised oysters are grown in baskets off the bottom to deter predation and ensure clean bivalves. The oysters are tumbled regularly to make perfectly shaped shells with deep cups to hold all that salty brine.

PHOTO LEFT AND BELOW BY FERNANDO DECILLIS

Flames roar from logs nestled beneath a metal plate, searing hot and ready to replicate a grill or griddle in a warm, inviting format. It’s a scene we all instantly recognize, with the anticipation of blistered hot dogs, bronzed vegetable skewers or oozing toasted marshmallows emerging in the near future. But what if the Gulf Coast’s most beloved bivalve seared on that wood-fired surface instead of more traditional outdoor eats?

Roasted oysters are rarely featured alongside our raw, fried and charbroiled specialties around these parts, but in other areas across the country, oyster roasts are as well known as crawfish boils or fish fries are to the Bay Area. Popular in the Carolinas and other states along the East Coast, the “Lowcountry” or “Carolina” roast has roots originating from Native Americans who occupied the coast long before colonists settled there. The purpose of the roast is to elevate the natural flavor of an oyster by steaming it in its own juices, emphasizing its salinity and gently warming the meat for a steaming, briny bite. This practice was picked up by Northeastern transplant Bill Walton and introduced to locals when he moved to Dauphin Island to farm oysters as the oyster aquaculture extension specialist for Auburn University. He used his signature offbottom farmed oysters — bivalves that are meticulously grown in baskets and rotated many times throughout their lives to create beautifully clam-shelled oysters with glistening, clean shells that never touch the muddy ground — for roasted oysters with pure flavor and an eye-catching presentation. Since then, roasts have added another dimension to oyster consumption on both sides of the Bay.

“I had never heard of it until we were in Scouts, I would say 6 or 7 years ago,” says Gulf Coast native Steve Sasser, left, who met Walton when their children were in Cub Scouts together. Over the years, their core group of parentsturned-friends have roasted oysters on both sides of the Bay, gathering together to commune over good food and even better company. Walton recently moved back out of state, so Sasser now carries on their years-long oyster roasting tradition to keep the fire alive, both figuratively and literally.

“Being from the South, a lot of people have been around oysters. But growing up, an oyster was an oyster,” he says. “I didn’t know the difference between any oysters.” What he did know is that he loved to cook, loved to eat and loved to share those passions with others. So now, when the weather is right and the music is loud, Sasser gathers friends and family to roast oysters and crack cold ones as they celebrate the fruits of our local shores. MB

Clockwise from top Oysters are ready to pull off the heat when the shells begin to open and you can smell their briny juices. Oyster roasts are best kept simple, but Tabasco, Crystal hot sauce, fresh mignonette sauce, spiced garlic butter and simple saltines make great guest stars. Shuck safely by using a protective glove and a high-quality oyster knife. The secret to the oyster roast is allowing them to steam in their own juices, enhancing their natural salinity. Regularly add water to your roasting oysters to keep the steam going. THE PURPOSE OF THE ROAST IS TO ELEVATE THE NATURAL FLAVOR OF AN OYSTER BY STEAMING IT IN ITS OWN JUICES, EMPHASIZING ITS SALINITY AND GENTLY WARMING THE MEAT FOR A STEAMING, BRINY BITE.

“THE BEST THINGS TO GO WITH OYSTERS ARE GOOD FRIENDS AND COLD BEER. USUALLY WITH AN OYSTER ROAST, YOU DO IT SO YOU CAN EAT THE OYSTERS AS THEY ARE.”

- STEVE SASSER

HOW TO THROW AN OYSTER ROAST

WITH SPANISH FORT’S STEVE SASSER

Start with the Best

“The start of a good oyster roast is a good oyster,” Sasser says. “When you’re doing a roast — as compared to grilling oysters, for example — there’s only one ingredient: the oyster. You start with a good one, and chances are it’s going to be good.” With so many local oyster farms to choose from, you really can’t go wrong, but Sasser favors Murder Point oysters for their im pearance. “To me, they’re the best oysters in the world.” Stay Cool

ready to use. “These are live un they die, so they need to stay cool without being submerged in ice or cold water, to avoid drowning

Gather the Gear

Equip your setup with a hot metal water for steaming. Sasser doesn’t ture before he gets started, but be sure it’s hot enough to allow the oysters to steam over high heat. Place the oysters rounded-side down on your preheated surface, then cover them with the wet burlap and allow open, adding more water as needed

PHOTO BY FERNANDO DECILLIS

PHOTO BY FERNANDO DECILLIS

Get Shucking

loosen from one another. Slide shell to clean the oyster from the ing on the half shell for premium

Improvise

Use what you have. The setup doesn’t have to be fancy or formal; any hot metal surface will do you could do this on a grill on top roast I went to was literally on the

Keep It Casual

“The best things to go with oysters are good friends and cold beer,” Sasser says. “Usually with an oyster roast, you do it so you can eat the oysters as they are.” No need to get fancy with extravagant sauces or an the grazing approach, with a variety of raw and charbroiled oysters to accompany the roast, along with d’oeuvres and desserts. “There’s no ferings simple and hand-held. But, ers in your group. Enjoy!

it up,” says Sasser. “If it’s already a good oyster, you can eat it raw.” The

Above, top to bottom Oyster farming in Grand Bay, Alabama. A raw, farm-raised oyster being shucked at the site. An ice chest of cold beer is the best side dish for a roast, especially when the beer is local. Sasser lets the steam out as he shucks a roasted bivalve.