Smoked Oysters

FOR A PINT OF SHUCKED OYSTERS:

1. Drain the oysters and pick through to make sure there's no shells or other detritus attached. Skip to the smoking step.

IF YOUR OYSTERS ARE IN THE SHELL, SHUCK THE OYSTERS:

1. Wear the oyster gloves to protect your hands. Rest the oyster, cup side down on the old dish towel to secure it. 
2. Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinge of the oyster, forcing it open and twisting to break the hinge. (Wipe the knife off on the towel). 
3. Slide the oyster knife along the top of the shell to disconnect the meat from the top flat shell. Run the oyster knife under the oyster to disconnect it from the shell. Reserve the oyster liqueur for another use. Place the oysters on a plate and refrigerate until you are ready to smoke them.

SMOKING THE OYSTERS:

1. Add the cherry wood pellets to the hopper and preheat the pellet grill to 200°F.
2. Lay the grill mat on the work surface and place the oysters on the mat. Close the lid and smoke the oysters for 50 minutes to one hour.
3. Transfer the oysters to the prepared oyster shells and spoon the butter sauce over them. Serve immediately.

PREPARE THE SHELLS FOR SERVING:

1. If you have oysters in their shells, this extra step will give you a really impressive presentation. After removing the oysters from the shell, transfer the cupped portion of the oyster shell to a large pot. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 7-10 minutes, then drain the water. Rinse off the shells and dry them. (Boiling the shells will remove any dirt and will prevent cross contamination when you put the smoked oysters back in the shell.

TO PRESERVE THE OYSTERS:

1. Fill a jar with the oysters arranging them in an even layer. Add olive oil unti it covers the oysters. Seal the jar and refrigerate.