Scalloped Oysters Recipe

When you think of Southern casseroles, you probably imagine a whole bunch of pantry staples—from canned soup to vegetables to rice or pasta—tossed in a 13-by-9 and baked to a golden-brown. While we're adamant fans of the pantry-cleanout casserole, this dish takes a different approach. This Scalloped Oyster casserole calls for minimal ingredients, effectively spotlighting the fresh, briny flavor of the oysters, which are complemented simply with crushed crackers. Oyster casserole has graced Southern Thanksgiving tables for decades (we published our first Oyster Casserole recipe back in 1967). Some recipes feature chopped vegetables, cheese mixtures, and of course, crackers, but this recipe distills the Oyster Casserole down to its simplest elements. The Scalloped Oysters are composed with layers of flavor and texture, alternating primarily between a crushed cracker-butter mixture and fresh oysters. As you're building these layers, be sure to balance them with sprinkles of a salt-pepper mixture and pieces of butter that will melt to form pockets in the casserole. This recipe makes use of every part of the oyster, from the actual oyster to the salty oyster liquid. Combined with cream and poured over the dish right before baking, the oyster liquid adds a hint of brine to the bright seafood casserole. Here, the oysters are the star of the show—no bells or whistles required.