Oyster Shooters Recipe

Combine Old Bay and sea salt on a small shallow plate and spread into an even layer.

Rub the rim of six shot glasses with the lime wedge, then dip each glass into the Old Bay mixture to coat the rim. Set glasses aside upright so the rim sets while you prepare the shooter components.

Make the mix

In a mixing glass or small pitcher, combine tomato juice (or clamato), horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and lime juice, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and optional pickle/olive brine. Stir briskly until evenly combined. Taste and adjust heat, acidity, or salt — add more hot sauce for heat, more lemon/lime for brightness, or a pinch more celery salt for savory depth.

Chill the mix briefly over an ice bath or by stirring with ice, then strain out any large ice shards so the shooter isn't diluted excessively.

If your vodka is not already infused, you can quickly infuse neutral vodka by adding a few stalks of celery (chopped), peel of one lemon (no pith), and 8–10 crushed black peppercorns to 12 oz vodka and letting rest refrigerated for 24 hours, then straining. For this recipe assume house-infused vodka is ready.

Keep the shucked oysters cold on a bed of crushed ice. Inspect oysters for any shell fragments and remove them. Spoon off a small amount of oyster liquor if there is excess; you want the oyster to sit comfortably in the shooter without overflowing.

Measure 0.5 oz (15 ml) of the bloody mary mix into each prepared shot glass with the Old Bay rim.

Nestle one fresh shucked oyster into each shot glass on top of the bloody mary base. Pour 0.5 oz (15 ml) of house-infused vodka over the oyster in each glass so the oyster is partially submerged. If you prefer stronger shooters, increase vodka to 1 oz (30 ml) per glass and reduce mix accordingly. Reserve remaining vodka for the remaining shooters.

Repeat until six shooters are assembled (with the ingredient quantities provided you will make six shooters; scale quantities proportionally for more servings).

Top each shooter with a tiny squeeze of lemon or lime, place a celery leaf or dill sprig on the rim or floated on the mix, and optionally thread a cornichon or olive onto a cocktail skewer and rest across the glass.

Serve immediately while oysters are cold and vodka is chilled. Instruct guests to tip the shooter back and swallow the oyster and liquid in one motion, or slurp the oyster then chase with the liquid as preferred.

Discard any leftover assembled shooters after 30–45 minutes — do not hold for extended periods due to raw shellfish safety.