Grilled Oyster Recipe with Green Chile Garlic Butter

Elevate your appetizer game with this ultra fancy Grilled Oyster Recipe bathed in a spicy Green Chile Garlic Butter. You can shuck these before grilling or simply let the heat of the barbecue open them for you!

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I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a little late to the oyster party.

I ate my first raw oyster on the half shell as an exchange student in Spain when I was 15.

It was jiggly and big and I barely got it down. I swore I wouldn’t be doing THAT again.

And I didn’t, until recently.

It seems I’ve finally fallen in love with oysters and I just can’t get enough! Raw, grilled, anyway you want to cook them, I’m here for it.

If you haven’t joined me on the oyster train and are still on the fence about slurping raw ones, then this grilled oyster recipe is for you!

They are briny and tender—and the best part? Drenched in a green chile garlic butter sauce. Add some crusty bread and you’re all set.

the best butter for the best grilled oyster recipe

To really do grilled oysters right you need to have an outstanding compound (aka softened, flavored) butter to top them with and what would a ¡Hola! Jalapeño recipe be if it didn’t incorporate some Mexican flair?

I’ve whipped softened butter with diced green chiles, chopped garlic, and fresh parsley.

You can add a bit of lemon juice directly to the butter but I like to serve the oysters with a lemon wedge so you can add a squeeze of lemon to each one.

It’s as easy as mashing everything together with a fork! If you want it perfectly smooth you could combine all the ingredients in a food processor instead.

Just make sure the butter is really soft so it melts into the oysters on contact.

to shuck or not to shuck? that is the question

The most challenging part when it comes to oysters is getting those suckers open! Shucking raw oysters leaves a lot of people stumped.

The good news is, with charbroiled oysters you can either shuck them before grilling, or not.

but first, the pros and cons

The first method is to let them open naturally with the heat of the grill so there is barely any work involved.

The upside to this is obviously chargrilled oysters without shucking.

The downside is having to handle them (removing the top shell, adding the butter, etc.) while they are blistering hot. A good pair of BBQ gloves should help with this.

The second method is to shuck them first, then grill.

Make sure you use a quality oyster knife and a dish towel.

The benefit of this method is the butter melts into the oysters as they cook and you get to eat them faster.

The con? The whole shucking situation.

Either way, the best way to serve your charbroiled oysters is on a plate covered with a thick layer of kosher salt.

Nestling the buttery oysters in the salt helps to transfer them to the table without spilling.

Don’t forget the hot sauce and lemon wedges!

how to grill oysters without shucking

This is the easiest method because the oysters pop open all by themselves with the heat of the grill.

Try to purchase oysters with a flat bottom so they don’t tip over and spill all their delicious juice.

The butter should be very soft so it melts right away on the hot oysters. Here’s some tools that can help:

• An oyster rack keeps them stable and upright while they cook.
• BBQ Gloves will protect your hands while you handle the hot oyster shells.
• A Kitchen Torch can finish melting the butter if needed.

shuck first, grill later

This method does require the ability to use an oyster knife.

If you’ve never done it before, here’s a great oyster shucking video.

If you’re going with this method, open the oysters then place spoonfuls of the softened butter on each oyster before setting over the hot grill.

The butter will melt into the oyster as it cooks for an incredible, bubbling sauce.

The BBQ gloves are still a bonus here as you can use them to remove the hot oysters from the grill.

more appetizer recipes to try!

• Surf and Turf Nachos
• Chorizo and Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms
• Oven Roasted Jalapeño Poppers
• Charred Poblano Guacamole
• Chicharrones de Harina
• Roasted Mushroom and Goat Cheese Gorditas
• Vegan Ceviche with Avocado and Lime

invite us to the party!

I want to see the crowd go wild when you bust out your oyster knife and fire up the grill. Snap a pic of your chargrilled oysters and tag @holajalapeno, #holajalapeno on Instagram so I can be in on the action or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating). Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month such as this one here sponsored by Rio Luna Chiles. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!