Oyster Facts

• Oysters are bivalves, and they come in several varieties. Larger than most clams, they have a sweet, earthy flavor that can be an acquired taste for some. Oysters spend their lives submerged in coastal regions, with the majority of the oysters consumed in the U.S. coming from the Gulf Coast, with the East Coast running a close second.

Dangers

• There is little danger in eating oysters which have been cooked to a safe temperature. Raw oysters can carry the Norwalk virus, which can cause serious stomach upset and -- in extremely rare cases -- hepatitis. Oysters can also carry a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus which has caused some deaths. If you are making your scalloped oysters from scratch with raw oysters, make sure that you follow safe handling procedures. To avoid cross-contamination, do not use the same plates or utensils for your cooked oysters that you used for them when they were raw. Make sure that the oysters are steamed or otherwise cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before adding them to the casserole to be baked.

Scalloped Oysters

• The basic ingredients for scalloped oysters are cooked oysters, cream and sturdy, butter-flavored crackers. Do not use saltine crackers because they will get soggy too quickly. The recipe is deceptively simple for such a luscious dish. Once you have buttered a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish, cover the bottom with crushed crackers. The pre-cooked oysters go on top of the cracker crumbs, which should be large, rough crumbs rather than finely-crushed ones like breadcrumbs. Seasonings differ among cooks, but the prevailing wisdom is that simpler is better, so many recipes call only for salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to be sprinkled over the oysters. Cream and either some of the liquid from canned oysters or a bit of seafood stock are poured over the seasoned oysters. Another layer of rough cracker crumbs and a few pats of butter are added on top. The dish cooks for 30 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Safe Preparation and Reheating

• It is safe to make the dish up to one day ahead of time. Use a long, shallow baking dish to ensure that the scalloped oysters both cook and cool evenly. Follow your favorite recipe for assembling and baking the dish. Let the casserole sit on the counter until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the casserole tightly with plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate it immediately. Let the casserole sit on the counter for no more than 30 minutes before placing it into a preheated oven to reheat. Make sure that the center of the casserole reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing it from the oven. Serve the casserole immediately.