Pickled Oysters is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic pickle of oysters lightly poached in their own liquor that are packed into jars and covered with spiced vinegar. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pickled Oysters.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
PICKLED OYSTERS.
491. INGREDIENTS.—100 oysters; to each 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1 blade of pounded mace, 1 strip of lemon-peel, 12 black peppercorns.
Mode.—Get the oysters in good condition, open them, place them in a saucepan, and let them simmer in their own liquor for about 10 minutes, very gently; then take them out, one by one, and place them in a jar, and cover them, when cold, with a pickle made as follows:—Measure the oyster-liquor; add to it the same quantity of vinegar, with mace, lemon-peel, and pepper in the above proportion, and boil it for 5 minutes; when cold, pour over the oysters, and tie them down very closely, as contact with the air spoils them.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.—Put this pickle away in small jars; because directly one is opened, its contents should immediately be eaten, as they soon spoil. The pickle should not be kept more than 2 or 3 months.
To each 500ml of Vinegar:
1/2 tsp ground mace
2 strips of lemon zest
18 black peppercorns
Method:
Shuck and de-beard the oysters then place the flesh in a pan (along with any of their liquor) and allow to simmer gently in their own fluids for 10 minutes. Very gently take them out of the pan with a slotted spoon then place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside until cold.
Measure the volume of oyster liquor and when the oysters are cold add to this an equal volume of vinegar, along with the spices and lemon zest, in the proportions given above. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then pack the oysters in small jars, pour over the vinegar mixture, seal with vinegar proof lids and store in the refrigerator.
Use within two months and, as soon as a jar has been opened use all its contents immediately.
