Oyster Secrets And Tips From Celebrity Chef Marc Murphy

Happy National Oyster Day! In honor of the day, make oysters at home for dinner or indulge at New York City chef Marc Murphy's Ditch Plains or Kingside restaurants. This shellfish can be a little tricky to make at home, so The Daily Meal and Murphy are here to give you some secrets and tips on how to conquer oysters.

According to NationalOysterDay.com, "there are over 100 species of true oysters and traditionally they are named after the body of water or bay in which they are grown and are known by." The body of water that each oyster comes from impacts its flavor, taste, and texture. Oysters from the East Coast taste very different from their West Coast counterparts, for instance. Marc Murphy says that West Coast oysters are a little milkier in flavor than oysters from the Eastern Seaboard.

Oysters are great as an appetizer or an entrée. Need a simple starter? Try a raw oyster with a squeeze of lemon or a little mignonette on it. If you'd prefer to make an entrée, take a cue from Murphy: at his restaurants, he makes a dish by slicing "thin slices of baguette, [putting] oysters on top of the bread, and then taking a compound butter with garlic, parsley, and butter and [adding a dollop] in each oyster before roasting them in the oven." You now have beautifully cooked oysters with melted butter that spills all over the crusty bread. In the summer, you can even throw your oysters on the grill. If making a compound butter is too complicated, head to the grocery store, buy a good-quality barbecue sauce, put a little bit inside each oyster, and throw them on the grill.

Searching for other oyster ideas? Try The Daily Meal's oyster risotto, oyster stew, or pan-roasted oysters. Now that you have oyster tips and tricks, you can go make your own delicious oyster recipes — or visit one of Marc Murphy's restaurants. We know you'll enjoy the half-dozen oysters, oyster shooters, or roasted oysters with garlic and parsley butter at Ditch Plains.