Simple Slow Cooker Oyster Stew

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/26/21
Simple Slow Cooker Oyster Stew in bowls, served with crackers

The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 3 hrs 7 mins
Total: 3 hrs 17 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
492 Calories
27g Fat
31g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 492
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 13g 67%
Cholesterol 168mg 56%
Sodium 834mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 16mg 78%
Calcium 313mg 24%
Iron 11mg 62%
Potassium 728mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Oyster stew is a traditional dish in areas of the mid-Atlantic as well as New England where it is often enjoyed at Thanksgiving. This easy oyster stew recipe is made with fresh oysters, milk, butter, and seasonings. The milk is left to cook in the slow cooker and the oysters are quickly simmered in their own liquid along with melted butter, shallots, and Worcestershire sauce. This mixture is added to the slow cooker and left to heat for an hour or two. It's perfect served with crackers and a tossed salad for a satisfying meal. 

This recipe calls for fresh oysters, which you can shuck yourself or ask your fishmonger to do for you, just be sure to ask for the liquor (the liquid in the shell). Although it is referred to as "stew," it is really a soup since it has a thinner consistency. To thicken the stew slightly, you can add a flour and water slurry to the stew before it's finished.

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts whole milk

  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 medium shallot

  • 2 pints fresh oysters, with their liquid

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

  • 1 dash cayenne pepper

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, or parsley, optional

  • Oyster crackers, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Simple Slow Cooker Oyster Stew ingredients in bowls and jars

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  2. Pour the milk into a crock pot; cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours.

    Milk in a crockpot

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  3. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter; add the minced shallot and cook for 2 minutes.

    chopped shallots and butter in a pot on the burner

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  4. Add the oysters with their liquid and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the edges of oysters curl. Add the salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, and the Worcestershire sauce, and stir gently.

    Oyster with salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, and the Worcestershire sauce in a pot on the burner

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  5. Add the oyster mixture to the hot milk in the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

    Simple Slow Cooker Oyster Stew cooking in a crockpot

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  6. Garnish with chopped herbs, if you prefer, and serve with oyster crackers if you like.

    Simple Slow Cooker Oyster Stew in bowls, served with crackers

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Tip

If you are shucking your own oysters, don't forget to save the liquid within the shells as you shuck them.

Recipe Variations

  • For a richer broth, use 1 quart of half-and-half with 1 quart of whole milk.
  • Before you simmer the oysters, add about 1/2 cup of chopped green onions to the butter in the saucepan and sauté until translucent. Add the oysters and their liquid and continue with the recipe.

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