This super easy oyster stew recipe makes thick, creamy & rich soup! While most recipes don't call for potatoes, we find ours even better with it.
Drain the oysters over a bowl with a sieve & rinse under cold water to remove any sand or shell bits. Reserve the oyster juice. Roughly chop the oysters.
Place a paper towel over a mesh sieve to catch any sand & impurities & run the reserved oyster juice through the sieve into a clean bowl.
Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon fat or butter. Once the fat is melted & hot, add potatoes, celery & shallot. Cook for 2-3 mins, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to medium & add flour, old bay seasoning & salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour is nicely toasted, about 1 min.
Add reserved oyster juice, continuously stirring everything. The mixture will get super thick, which is normal. If needed, add some water to get all the brown bits scrapped off.
Then slowly pour in milk, while stirring everything constantly, to gradually incorporate everything.
Reduce heat to low/simmer & slowly heat the soup up, 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Add oysters & cook for another 2-3 mins. Serve immediately with fresh parsley, hot sauce & soda crackers.
Store leftover oyster stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen oyster stew in the fridge overnight & then reheat.