Oysters used to intimidate me — I thought they were only for raw-bar experts. But when I had grilled oysters topped with garlic butter and Parmesan at a friend’s backyard party, I was hooked. Smoky, cheesy, briny perfection. I recreated them the very next weekend, and they’ve been a go-to summer appetizer ever since. Fancy without the fuss.

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh oysters, scrubbed and kept on the half shell

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• Lemon wedges, for serving

• Optional: pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Preheat the grill
   Heat your grill to medium-high. Make sure it's clean and well-oiled.

2. Prep the butter mixture
   In a small bowl, mix melted butter with garlic and a pinch of pepper.

3. Top the oysters
   Place oysters (in their shells) directly on the grill. Spoon a little garlic butter into each one, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

4. Grill until bubbly
   Close the lid and grill for 5–6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the oysters are hot and bubbly.

5. Serve
   Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges. Best enjoyed immediately.

Nutrition (per oyster):

Serves: 4 (3 oysters each) | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 6 mins | Total Time: 16 minutes
 Calories: 70 | Protein: 5g | Carbs: 1g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g