Easy Australian Oysters Kilpatrick (2024)

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Ready in 20 minutes, this amazing oysters kilpatrick recipe is perfect for entertaining at home. Topped with crispy bacon and our amped up kilpatrick sauce, it’s the best way to kickstart your Christmas celebrations!

In This Post You’ll Learn

Why We Love This
What are Oysters Kilpatrick?
What You’ll Need
How to Make Oysters Kilpatrick
Wandercook’s Tips
FAQs
Variations

Why We Love This

Oysters kilpatrick is the perfect entree or platter for celebrations. They taste amazing and look so impressive served in their shells in the centre of the table.

This recipe is quick and easy to prepare, and much cheaper to make at home rather than buying from a restaurant.

P.S. If you’re not usually a fan of fresh oysters, we can just about guarantee you will LOVE oysters kilpatrick topped with crispy bacon and Worcestershire sauce! They’re that good!

Related: Baked Camembert / Spinach Cob Loaf

What are Oysters Kilpatrick?

Oysters kilpatrick is a classic Australian dish consisting of oysters cooked in their shells, topped with crispy bacon and Worcestershire sauce. It’s usually served as an entree or appetiser, but can also be enjoyed as a main on its own.

You’ll usually find oysters kilpatrick on the menu at most pubs and modern Australian restaurants, but it’s also a popular entertaining recipe to cook at home on Christmas Day, Good Friday or other celebrations.

This dish, alongside a batch prawn co*cktail salad with seafood sauce, is a non-negotiable at Laura’s family Christmas celebrations!

What You’ll Need

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Freshly Shucked Oysters – For the best flavour always use fresh oysters rather than frozen, preferably locally sourced if possible.
usually paired with slices of octopus in Japanese takoyaki and goes amazingly well with oysters too.
Bacon / Ham – Thinly sliced or diced into small squares. Or to make it fancy you could go for finely sliced prosciutto instead.
Worcestershire Sauce – This adds a tangy sweet flavour, and can often be a little but spicy depending on the brand you use. Homemade worcestershire sauce is even better since you can make it just the way you like it.
Tomato Sauce and Barbecue Sauce – Use any brand you like. Or sub both of them for Japanese takoyaki sauce. It’s

How to Make Oysters Kilpatrick

First, gather your ingredients: See recipe card below for measurements.

Preheat your oven to 200˚C / 400°F.Pop the bacon or shredded ham in a small frying pan over medium heat and sauté until cooked through and crispy. Note: It should release its own oil while cooking, but you can add a dash of oil if needed to give it more colour.
Mix the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.
Arrange the oysters in their half shells onto an oyster wheel tray (or a baking tray lined with a generous layer of rock salt) to hold them up. Top with cooked bacon and drizzle with sauce.
Bake for 5-10 minutes until the sauce starts to caramelise and the oysters are cooked to your liking. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Wandercook’s Tips

Use an Oyster Wheel / Tray – Using one isn’t essential, but it does make it much easier to prepare and cook oysters kilpatrick. If you don’t have one, you can use scrunched up aluminium foil to prop them up.
Or Make a Rock Salt Bed – Cook the oysters on a baking tray lined with rock salt. This helps keep the oysters upright in the oven and helps them cook through evenly. Or you can use the rock salt as a decorative nest on your serving platter to prop up your cooked oysters instead.
Oyster Forks – Mini oyster forks aren’t essential but do make them much easier to eat!
Watch Carefully – Oysters cook fast, so keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
Avoid Glass Trays – There’s a risk it could break when grilling or broiling in the oven, especially when liquids are involved.
Serve in Bowls – If the shells are too damaged or you can only buy oysters without their shells, you can place them in ramekins or oven safe dishes, top with sauce and cook as normal.

FAQs

How do I choose the best oysters?

Look for tightly sealed oysters. If the lids are slightly cracked, it means the oysters aren’t fresh. Some stores will sell oysters already shucked, in which case they’ll be good to go. We’ll try to buy them on the day we plan to serve them if we can, otherwise a day or two before is fine.

Do I need to clean the oysters first?

If your oysters are still sealed, it’s a good idea to clean the shells first to remove any dirt before shucking. Scrub them under running water, especially around the hinge as this is where dirt and grit can accumulate. If you’ve bought shucked oysters you can skip this.

What is the easiest way to shuck an oyster?

The easiest way is to use a shucking knife and a towel to protect your hand. Hold the oyster firmly in your hand, and press the knife into the oyster hinge. Wiggle it in until it’s under the top shell, then twist the knife to crack it open. Pull out the knife and wipe off any grit, then slide it back in and work your way around the lid towards the opposite end. Slice the knife between the top shell and the oyster muscle to fully remove the lid. Then slice underneath the oyster muscle to remove it from the bottom shell. Watch this oyster shucking tutorial to see it in action.

Can I cook them on the BBQ?

Yep. You can cook the oysters directly on the grill plate, but it’s helpful to use some scrunched up aluminium foil to prop them up and avoid spilling the sauce out of the shells. Or you could also wrap each oyster in foil to trap the steam and make them extra juicy.

Can I cook them in an air fryer?

You sure can. Space out the oysters on the air fryer’s wire rack and cook for about 8 minutes at 180˚C / 360˚F.

What should I serve with oysters kilpatrick?

This dish is a great starter or entree, but you can also enjoy it as a main meal on its own. Allow 3 oysters per person for entree or around 6-12 oysters per person for mains, depending on how big the oysters are and how hungry your guests are!

We usually make oysters kilpatrick for special occasions like Christmas, and serve it as the entree before a full roast lunch with cauliflower cheese or potato bake!

Variations

Add Herbs – Garnish with lemon thyme, parsley, chives or spring onion after cooking.
Top with Cheese – Parmesan, mozzarella / bocconcini and havarti are all great choices.
Oysters Natural – Skip the toppings and serve fresh oysters (uncooked) with lemon wedges on the side.
Oysters Rockefeller – Top with a dab of butter, chopped parsley and breadcrumbs.
Add Onion – Cook finely chopped onion in with the bacon for extra texture and flavour.
Extra Fancy – Add a splash of vodka or vermouth to the sauce.
Make them Spicy – Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi or add a few drops of tabasco sauce.
Japanese Style – Bake the oysters in okonomiyaki sauce, then top with kewpie mayo and furikake seasoning.
Add Liquid Smoke – For extra smoky flavour. A little goes a long way – just a few drops will add a delicious, subtle smokiness to the traditional kilpatrick sauce.

Try these amazing celebration recipes next:

Australian CheesyPotatoBake – Serve up a big batch at your next gathering for guaranteed smiles.
Best Pavlova Recipe– “Awesome recipe. No fail. I made mine into a wreath shape and it was a hit”
Super Creamy Cauliflower Cheese – The perfect side dish for your next BBQ or family dinner.
20 Minute Cheese and Bacon Cob Loaf Dip – Perfect to get the party started, but don’t expect leftovers!
– So easy to make, bake and share! Make a big batch and keep some in the freezer

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