Char-Grilled Oysters with Lemon-Garlic Butter and Thyme

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-08 · Updated 2026-04-08

Fresh oysters seared to tender perfection and bathed in a vibrant lemon-garlic butter sauce with bright thyme, embodying coastal South Carolina simplicity. This Southern-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs fresh oysters, unsalted butter, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh oysters
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill and heat for 5 minutes until hot.
2. Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves until smooth.
3. Step 3: Place 12 fresh oysters in their shells, cup side down, in the hot skillet and cook for 5 minutes until shells open and edges curl; discard any unopened oysters.
4. Step 4: Remove skillet from heat, pour 1/4 cup dry white wine and 1/4 tsp salt over oysters, then return to low heat for 1 minute.
5. Step 5: Stir in the prepared butter mixture and cook 30 seconds until melted, then season with 1/8 tsp black pepper.
6. Step 6: Serve immediately, spooning sauce over oysters.