Pickled Oysters

Ingredients

• 2 dozen large oysters
• 1 tbsp. of butter
• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• 1 tbsp. of mace
• 1 dozen cloves
• 1 tsp. of allspice (or 1 tsp. of pepper)
• 1 tsp of sweet oil

Directions

1. Take fine, large oysters and put them over a gentle fire in their own liquor.
2. Add a small lump of butter to each hundred oysters.
3. Let the oysters boil for ten minutes. 
4. When they are plump and white, take them from their liquor with a skimmer and spread them on a thickly folded cloth.
5. When they are firm and cold, take half as much of their own liquor and half of good vinegar.
6. Warm the liquid mixture in a stone crock. Put in a layer of oysters, a spoonful of ground mace, a dozen cloves, allspice, and whole pepper alternately.
7. If to be kept, put them in glass jars with a little sweet oil on top. Stop them and seal tight. If kept in a cool place, they will be good for months.

Source — La Cuisine Creole
Prepared by Caroline Cone
Louisiana Anthology
March 27, 2022