Dad's Oyster Stew

Every Christmas Eve for as long as I've been on this planet and even before that, my father has made Oyster Stew on Christmas Eve.   It's a tradition that his parents - my grandparents - had and may go back even further than that, likely on my grandmother's side.  My grandmother made Oyster Stew throughout the Winter when my dad was a boy, it was the perfect thing to warm up wet, cold children after a day at the sledding hill.

Dad is very particular about this recipe.  He insists that it not be altered in any way and nothing else be added, no matter what anyone might suggest and I agree with him.  It is, in a word, perfection.  And absolutely delicious.

1 pint fresh raw oysters
1 stick of butter - real butter, no substitutes.
1 quart WHOLE Milk, not skim or any percent.
1 cup Half and Half
1 cup Oyster Crackers, crushed to powder
1 T salt
1 t pepper




Start by cutting the stick of butter in half.  Put one of the halves in a small fry pan and set to medium-low.   Strain the juice from the oysters into your stock pot.   Once strained, put the oysters in the fry pan with the butter and simmer til the oysters are curly.

In the stock pot, add to the oyster juice the other half of stick of butter and the quart of milk.  Heat on low, bringing up to heat slowly.  NEVER LET THE STEW BOIL...EVER.   Once it's warm to hot, add the oysters/butter and stir slowly.   Add the salt and pepper.  Crush the Oyster Crackers by putting in a ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin til finely crushed, slowly stir into the stew.   Add the half and half.   Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer on lowest heat setting for 15-20 minutes, then refrigerate.   Serve the next day...it truly needs to sit for a day.   Again, never let it boil when bringing it up to heat.   Serve with oyster crackers.