A good oyster doesn't need much. A properly shucked Nantucket oyster—cold, briny, and glistening in its shell—is already perfect. Your job is not to improve it. Your job is to not mess it up.
That said, a classic mignonette cuts the brininess beautifully and adds a bright, acidic note that makes you want another one. And another. And maybe one more.
The Ingredient
Nantucket's oyster farming has experienced a renaissance in recent years. The cold, clean waters around the island produce oysters with a distinctive brininess and a sweet, clean finish. They're smaller than some East Coast varieties, but what they lack in size they make up for in concentrated flavor.
Oysters are filter feeders, and they taste like where they grow. A Nantucket oyster tastes like Nantucket—salty, clean, with a mineral quality that's unmistakable once you know it.
Where to Source
- 167 Raw — The oyster specialists. They'll shuck for you or sell them whole.
- Sayle's Seafood — Fresh shellfish, local sourcing
- Cru Raw Bar — If you'd rather have someone else do the shucking
How to store: Keep oysters cup-side down in the refrigerator, covered with a damp towel. They'll keep for several days but are best eaten within 24 hours of purchase. Never store them in water or on ice—they'll die and spoil.
For the Oysters
- Fresh Nantucket oysters 1-2 dozen
- Crushed ice for serving
- Lemon wedges
Classic Mignonette
- Red wine vinegar 1/4 cup
- Shallot, minced very fine 2 tbsp
- Cracked black pepper 1/2 tsp
Instructions
- Make the mignonette. Combine vinegar, shallot, and pepper in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 15 minutes (or up to several hours) so the shallot softens. The mignonette should be made ahead—it improves as it sits.
- Shuck the oysters. Hold each oyster flat-side up, wrapped in a kitchen towel. Insert an oyster knife into the hinge at the pointed end. Twist to pop the hinge, then slide the knife along the top shell to cut the muscle. Remove the top shell, keeping the oyster level to preserve the liquor.
- Check for shell. Run your knife under the oyster to detach it from the bottom shell, and remove any bits of broken shell. The oyster should be sitting in its own liquor, ready to eat.
- Arrange on ice. Nestle the shucked oysters on a bed of crushed ice to keep them cold. Serve immediately with mignonette and lemon wedges.
- Eat. Spoon a tiny bit of mignonette onto the oyster (don't drown it), tip the shell to your lips, and slurp. Chew once or twice to release the flavor. Follow with a sip of something cold and crisp.
Mignonette Variations
Champagne Mignonette
Replace red wine vinegar with champagne vinegar or actual champagne. Add 1 tsp minced chives. More delicate, slightly sweeter—perfect for a celebration.
Asian-Style Mignonette
Replace vinegar with rice wine vinegar. Add 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp minced ginger. Top with a few drops of sriracha. Different but delicious.
Cucumber Mignonette
Add 2 tbsp very finely diced cucumber (seeded) to the classic recipe. Bright and refreshing—a summer favorite.
Sally's Tips
Shucking takes practice. Your first dozen will be ugly. That's fine—they'll still taste good. The trick is finding the hinge, which is easier on some oysters than others. And always shuck over a bowl to catch any liquor from shells that tip. That liquor is liquid gold.
Serve With
- Crusty bread and good butter
- Champagne or Muscadet
- Honestly? More oysters.
The Story
I was shucking oysters before I could ride a bike. My grandmother kept an oyster knife in the kitchen drawer, next to the can opener, because oysters were just part of life. Holidays, celebrations, random Tuesdays—any excuse worked.
Today, Nantucket's oyster farms are producing some of the finest shellfish on the East Coast, carrying on a tradition that goes back centuries. When you slurp a Nantucket oyster, you're tasting the same waters that fed generations of islanders before you.