When planning a fancy dinner for friends or bosses, Blue Point Oysters must be part of your spread to get those raving reviews. The great thing about these oysters is that you only need to worry about where you’re getting your oysters from.

Does the question make you wonder where blue-point oysters are from? There is a distinct blue point oyster taste, depending on your sourcing. 

Trivia: Did you know oysters are rich in vitamin D, iron, zinc, copper, protein, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, and phosphorus while being very low in calories? Six medium-sized oysters have less than 50 calories.

There is a history of Blue Point oysters that many do not know. Read on for historical insight and great, tried-and-tested recipes that can never go wrong. 

Where do Blue Point oysters come from?

History has it: the Blue Point oysters originate from Blue Point, New York, in the Great South Bay. The land was owned by Mr. Avery, who harvested these oysters. Soon, Blue Point oysters became a phenomenon. 

Fast forward to nowadays, Blue Point oysters come from Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. Blue Point oysters taste very distinct; meanwhile, Virginia blue point oysters are a rave among restaurateurs and oyster enthusiasts.

Three Best Blue Point Oyster Recipes

1.   Grilled Oysters with Spicy Tarragon Butter

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp.—chopped tarragon
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 dozen medium to large oysters from the gulf coast or blue point oysters
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper 

Directions to Cook:

Take tarragon, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, and pulse the butter in a food processor. Now transfer the concoction onto plastic wrap, creating neat 2-inch logs. Refrigerate the butter so it takes on a solid shape. Make 36 patties out of those logs when they freeze.

Light the grill and place the oyster flat-side-up. You should cook them for about five minutes until the oysters open. With the help of tongs, transfer the grilled oysters to a platter while keeping the liquor inside.

Now remove the top shell and loosen it from the bottom shell. Take those pats of butter and place them on oysters. Cover and grill, and cook until the butter is melted. Serve the oysters hot. 

2.   Peached Oysters With Caviar & Pickled Cucumber for Grand Dinner 

Ingredients:

• 2 dozen freshly shucked large blue point oysters – 24 shells with their liquor
• 8 ounces of cucumbers, peeled and julienned
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp sugar
• Fine sea salt
• ¼ to 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, diced
• Black Caviar

Directions to Cook:

Take a small bowl, toss cucumbers with salt, and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse the salt from the cucumbers. Refrigerate the cucumbers for 20 minutes after adding 1/4 cup of cider vinegar and sugar.

Combine shallots, white wine, and ⅓ cup of vinegar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Now add cream and let it simmer. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press the solids and toss them into a saucepan.

Remove the butter from the heat and continue to add the block until well combined. Add salt and lime juice. 

Now take a small skillet and simmer the oysters with the liquor on medium heat until the edges begin to curl. It’s time to transfer the oysters in their shells to the serving platter. Take some of that beurre blanc and top it on oysters with pickled cucumbers and caviar. Serve instantly.

3.   Oysters Rockefeller

Ingredients:

• 2 dozen Oysters in shells – freshly shacked and drained  
• Rock Salt
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 6 ounces spinach, trimmed and rinsed
• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
• 2 tbsp. Herbsaint, an anise-flavoured liqueur; Pernod or Pastis
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 ¾ cups finely chopped yellow onions
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup cracker meal or crumbs
• ½ tsp salt

Directions to Cook:

Sauce: Take a medium pot and boil one quart of water. Next, add spinach and cook it until it becomes tender and the water turns greenish.

Drain the spinach in a colander and set aside approximately 3/4 cup of the green liquid. First, let the spinach cool, chop it finely, and set aside.

Next, melt the butter in a medium pot on high heat. When the butter starts foaming, add the garlic, onion, and celery. Stir until it is a little soft. Add the spinach water and let it come to a boil.

When the water comes to a boil, add the spinach, salt, pepper, and liqueur, and let it simmer. As you cook for ten minutes, the mixture will reduce. Remove from the heat and stir in the cracker meal. Stir well, and set it aside to cool. Please don’t use the mixture until it is cooled down.

Oyster: Preheat the oven to 400oF and sprinkle a ½ inch layer of rock salt on a baking sheet. Position oyster shells on the salt. Place the oyster inside the shell and top it with roughly two to three tablespoons of sauce, covering the oyster completely.

Use a piping bag to cover the oyster and shell with sauce. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the sauce turns a light brown and the blue point oysters begin to curl.

Serve the shells carefully on salt-covered plates without spilling any liqueur or sauce.  

Parting Thoughts

Some food groups have instant acceptance among dinner goers. Blue Point Oysters make the perfect addition to the spread for any dinner. You may have seen how adding oysters to a dinner date makes it fancy.  

The technique and method for cooking oysters are quick and straightforward. Since blue point oysters taste distinct, the idea is to cook them while maintaining the flavour and adding an element of zest to complement the flavours. The reduction of oyster sauce, or beurre blanc, is a crucial element in preparing the dish.   

There is little preliminary workup involved—just keeping ingredients at arm’s length because they need to be incorporated at certain times during the short cooling window. When ready, they should be served instantly to enjoy the flavours.