The less you do to oysters, the better they taste in my opinion. This recipe came about when I wanted to cook the oysters, but I didn't want to overpower the subtle tastes of the oysters.
First let's talk about Myrtlewood, it's part of the laurelwood family and can be used just like a bay leaf. Though it should be noted that Myrtlewood has a certain twang to it that traditional culinary bay leaves do not. Since these oysters were farmed in Coos Bay I figured why not forage and use some of the area's best naturally occurring herbs. You can find these trees all along the west coast, if not out in nature, one of your neighbors probably has one their yard.
Okay, to be fair these oysters are more steamed then grilled, but I did cook them on a grill so you be the judge. The Myrtlewood leaves give off a powerful aroma, you'll get punched in the face every time you open the grill lid, but that aroma only permeates the oysters' shells just enough to pick up trace aromas and that's what we're looking for.
An unexpected gift from grilling the oysters was discovering my newest obsession, Burnt Myrtlewood Salt. All those burnt leaves from grilling the oysters gave off a beautifully burnt and herby scent. Just grind up the leaves with some seasalt to make your own, I made about 1/4 cup of the stuff with just 4 burnt leaves. This salt is perfect for any seafood or meat dish.
Since this is a pretty straightforward recipe, I'm not going to post a step-by-step recipe. Instead I'm just going to say, grill the oysters over Myrtlewood leaves for about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the oysters), pop them open and top with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and the burnt myrtlewood sea salt. Enjoy!