Creamed Corn & Oysters
Buttery cracker crumbs turn golden over a rich bake of whole oysters and cream-style corn. The first spoonful breaks through a crisp top to the old-fashioned seafood filling beneath.
Recipe link
Prep time10 min
Cook time40 min
Total time55 min
- Course
- Side Dish, Casseroles
- Cuisine
- Granny's Recipes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Est. calories / serving
- 180
Ingredients
Cracker Crumb Mixture
- 1 ½ cups coarse saltine cracker crumbs
- ½ cup butter — melted
Oyster Filling
- 2 cans whole oysters — 8 oz each, drained, ¼ cup liquid reserved
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley — chopped
- 2 cups cream-style corn
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup — 10.5 oz
- as needed up to ¼ cup reserved oyster liquor — or milk, as needed
Garnish
- parsley (optional) — chopped, optional
Optional Additions
- celery (optional) — finely chopped; stir into the oyster filling
- paprika (optional) — ground; sprinkle lightly over the final crumb topping
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a shallow 2-quart casserole dish.
- Make the Cracker Crumbs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the coarse saltine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Stir until every crumb is evenly coated. Set aside.1½ cups coarse saltine cracker crumbs, ½ cup butter
- Prepare the Oyster Mixture: Drain the oysters through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving the liquid. Check the oysters for shell fragments. In another large bowl, gently combine the oysters, salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and cream-style corn so the oysters stay mostly intact.2 cans whole oysters, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 cups cream-style corn
- Make the Soup Mixture: In a small bowl, stir the condensed cream of mushroom soup with 2 tablespoons of the reserved oyster liquor. Add more oyster liquor or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, only until the soup is smooth and spreadable. You may not need the full ¼ cup.1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, up to ¼ cup reserved oyster liquor or milk
- Layer the Casserole: Spread one-third of the buttered cracker crumbs evenly across the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Spoon half of the oyster mixture over the crumbs. Repeat with another one-third of the crumbs and the remaining oyster mixture. Spread the soup mixture evenly over the top, then finish with the remaining buttered crumbs.
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, checking at 35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling around the edges, the center reaches 165°F, and the cracker topping is golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired, and serve warm.chopped parsley, optional
Notes
- Oysters: Use plain whole canned oysters packed in brine, not smoked oysters. Drain them well, reserve the liquor, and check carefully for shell fragments.
- Oyster Liquor: The reserved oyster liquid gives the casserole a deeper seafood flavor. Add only enough to make the condensed soup smooth and spreadable. Use milk for some or all of the liquid when a milder flavor is preferred.
- Cracker Crumbs: Keep the saltine crumbs coarse. Finely powdered crumbs absorb more liquid and can create a dense or pasty topping.
- Baking: Begin checking the casserole at 35 minutes. Remove it when the edges are bubbling, the center reaches 165°F, and the topping is golden. Continued baking can make the oysters tough.
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole through the soup layer up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate it, keeping the remaining buttered crumbs separately covered. Add the final crumbs immediately before baking. A chilled casserole may require an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Storage and Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days for best quality. Reheat in a covered 350°F oven until the center reaches 165°F, uncovering during the final few minutes to refresh the topping.
- Optional Additions
- celery (finely chopped; stir into the oyster filling)
- paprika (ground; sprinkle lightly over the final crumb topping)
- Serving Suggestions: Serve warm with lemon wedges or hot sauce alongside Baked Fish with Rice and Spinach or White Rice with Artichokes.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
8 servings — Serving size: About ¾ cup
Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.
- Calories
- 180
- Carbohydrates
- 13.5 g
- Protein
- 1.5 g
- Fat
- 13.5 g
- Saturated Fat
- 7.5 g
- Cholesterol
- 30 mg
- Sodium
- 560 mg
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Total Sugars
- 2 g
Equipment
- Shallow 2-quart casserole dish
- Large mixing bowls
- Small mixing bowl
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- Instant-read thermometer (Use to verify that the center of the casserole reaches 165°F.)