A Special Casserole of Oysters on Thanksgiving

Fish Among Fowl, The Oyster Casserole

I buy them in the jars, and so far have never had them fresh...someday!

One of the finer traditions on Thanksgiving for my family is not the turkey or the potatoes, although they are amazing, it is the casserole of oysters, passed down from my grandparents to us. My side of the family are not Montana stock, but from the East coast. From them we have the tradition of an oyster casserole that slides along side of a green bean casserole on special holidays.

Here is my grand father's recipe:

Ingredients:

1 pint of oysters, in their juice 

1/2 cup salted butter + 1 tbl butter for greasing dish

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup oyster liquor (the liquid from the pint should be enough)

1 teaspoon Worcester sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup diced celery, with leaves

2 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves 

Pepper to taste

2 cups crushed saltine crackers

Grease a medium casserole dish with butter.

Drain your oysters but reserve the liquid into another container. Add the milk and Worcester sauce to the oyster liquor.

 

Melt the rest of your butter and pour over crushed crackers and add the salt, mixing until evenly distributed. 

Chop your celery and parsley and set aside.

Spread 1/3 of your crackers on the bottom of the casserole dish and sprinkle with black pepper. Cover with 1/2 the oysters, 1/2 the celery, and 1/2 the parsley leaves. Make another layer of 1/3 of your crackers, the other half the oysters, 1/2 the celery and 1/2 the parsley leaves and sprinkle with black pepper. Finish by evenly pouring the rest of the crackers. 

Pour your liquid over the top of the casserole, drizzling evenly over each area of the casserole. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. To check for doneness tip the dish and see if liquid seeps to the top. If there is a bit seeping, let it go for a few more minutes. 

Yummmmmm.