Grilled Oysters

Southerners love their oysters baked into the classic Oyster casserole at Christmas time, served over ice with cold beer at a seaside dive, or roasted in an outdoor pit. Unlike a traditional Lowcountry oyster roast (which requires cooking them under a layer of wet burlap on a large metal slab, usually with help from several people), this simplified version is much easier to pull off. Be sure and scrub your oysters to remove sand and other debris. Dry them thoroughly. Use firewood or natural lump charcoal and place in the bottom of a grill, let it burn down until the coals are glowing orange and white and the heat reaches the required temperature. Place oysters, cupped side down on the grill grate and grill until oysters begin to open at the wide end. Throw away any oysters that do not open and use tongs to transfer the hot opened oysters to a platter.