Beyond the Half Shell: Oyster-Cranberry Stuffing

Whether you buy a couple of bushels for an oyster roast or a bunch of singles for a dinner party, chances are at some point during peak oyster season you’ll have some extra mollusks to use up. For Savannah Miller, the executive chef at Glasshouse Kitchen in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, the ultimate use for those remaining briny beauties is in a comforting stuffing. “While stuffing is commonly thought of as a holiday dish, it’s something I enjoy making year-round,” she says. “I first made this stuffing a few years ago when I had leftover oysters. After eating them raw the day prior, I wanted to switch things up.” In the colder months, Miller recommends serving the stuffing as a hearty side to whole roast chicken. The tartness of the cranberry also pairs nicely with a grilled pork chop or roast pork loin. As for the oysters, her all-time favorite variety is the Core Sounder—a large, deep-cupped, creamy oyster harvested near Smyrna, North Carolina—which is great raw but also works wonderfully in a baked dish. Core Sound has exceptional water quality, and Miller loves that the oysters are slightly salty but finish sweet. When choosing oysters of any variety from your local purveyor, examine the exterior closely. Pass on any with chipped, damaged, or opened shells, and give them a sniff—oysters should smell like the ocean, not like fish. If you’re lucky, you’ll have extras for stuffing. “A loaf of older bread, a few vegetables you probably already have in your fridge, some flavorful broth, and you’re already halfway there,” Miller says. “Starting with something easily recognizable like stuffing and elevating it with fresh oysters and tart cranberries is my idea of a perfect dish.”