Elevate Canned Oysters By Turning Them Into A Flavorful Dip

Turning savory seafood from a meal into an appetizer will always be one of our favorite ways to repurpose food. We love to transform leftover smoked fish into a dip. But that, of course, requires smoking the fish first. Canned smoked oysters come ready to eat, with a deep, delightful taste that makes for an excellent dip.

A great dip goes beyond the ordinary flavors of French onion or garlic into more complex territories — something that the inclusion of smoked oysters certainly achieves. Yet just because they're more elevated doesn't mean you need to put more work in. Turning smoky bivalves into a dip is one of the best ways to use canned oysters, and it'll hardly take any time out of your day. As an added bonus, you won't need to do much in terms of seasoning — the oysters are simultaneously meaty and fishy, satisfyingly rich, and smoked to perfection while maintaining that classic, briny oyster taste.

To make the dip, drain the oysters and finely chop them before setting them aside. For the base, you can opt for cream cheese, mayonnaise, or sour cream. Add your spices to the base, along with any condiments like hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce, then stir it together. Fold the oysters into the dip and mix once again, smashing the seafood gently to break it down. Cover the dip and refrigerate it for two hours before serving.

As the name suggests, smoked canned oysters have a deep, savory nuance. If you want to amplify the smokiness, add an ancho chile into the mix. While ancho chile peppers aren't packed with heat, they are the very definition of smoky, delivering a heady taste that's bolstered by an earthy, bittersweet tinge. Add chopped oysters and ancho chile to sour cream with some cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. To spread the dip more easily, pulse the ingredients in a food processor.

If it's the briny flavor of oysters you want to pull out from the canned version, use capers. These tart buds heighten the oyster's salty taste while bringing a citrus-like quality to the dip. For spices, give the dip a more herbaceous flair, opting for dill, thyme, and Italian parsley. Whip up the ingredients with Greek yogurt and add a splash of hot sauce for a fiery kick and vinegary bite. Mince the chewy oysters to mirror the size of the capers and stir everything together.