Oyster Stew

Oyster stew came to this country with Irish immigrants fleeing the potato famine. Catholic tradition banned meat on Christmas Eve so many Irish families ate a soup or stew of fish. Oysters were substituted for fish and it became a traditional Christmas dish for many, whether Irish or not.

This recipe is a combination of several found on The Historic American Cookbook Project website, of which there are many to choose from.

1 gallon of milk	1 cup of butter
4 cans of oysters	salt & pepper to taste

Pour milk into a large pot over medium-high heat. Melt butter, stirring constantly.

When mixture is almost boiling, pour the oysters and their liquid into the pot. Season with salt & pepper.

Stir continuously until the oysters curl at the edges. When the oysters curl the stew is finished cooking. Turn off the heat and serve.