A pile of oysters in the shell on a plywood table beside a salt marsh

Oyster roast calculator

Shopping list

Item	Quantity
Oysters in shell	5 bushels
Saltine crackers
Cocktail sauce
Mignonette
Hot sauce

Totals

Oysters: 500-1250
Weight: 225-300 lb
Oysters per guest: 18-45
Season: Oct 1 to mid-Apr

Equipment

Steel plate: 2x2 to 4x4 ft, 1/4 in thick or more
Cinder blocks: 4, one at each corner
Burlap sacks: wet, large, thick
Table: 1/2 in plywood on two sawhorses
Shovel: clean, metal
Oyster knives: several
Gloves: garden or heat-resistant
Hand towels, hand sanitizer

Timing

Open fire, wet burlap: 8-9 min per batch
Propane steamer: 8-10 min per batch

Groceries

Sources

Figure	Used	Range	Source
Guests per bushel	5.5 guests	4-10 guests	Alabama Gulf Seafood, Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: 1 Bushel Per 5-6 People Garden & Gun, Secrets to a Southern Oyster Roast (2014-10-26), checked 2026-10-25: one South Carolina bushel or one 40 lb. box of Gulf singles per five people Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: 1 bushel (45-60 lb) per 4-6 people (or more if your crowd loves them) Charleston Bay Gourmet, Oyster Roast FAQ, checked 2026-10-25: standard is 10 people per bushel; 8 per bushel for a crowd that eats a lot of oysters Charleston Bay Gourmet, Oyster Roast Information, checked 2026-10-25: 10:1 ratio (people to bushels); minimum of 5 bushels per roast
Bushel weight	52.5 lb	45-60 lb	Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: 1 bushel (45-60 lb)
Oysters per bushel	150 oysters	100-250 oysters	PBS North Carolina, Oysternomics (2024-01-05), checked 2026-10-25: There are about 100 oysters in a bushel NOAA, Oyster Culture in Long Island Sound 1966-69 (MacKenzie), checked 2026-10-25: market oysters were often about 200 to 250 per bushel (1966-69, Long Island Sound)
Time: Open fire, wet burlap	8-9 min per batch	8-9 min per batch	Garden & Gun, Secrets to a Southern Oyster Roast (2014-10-26), checked 2026-10-25: After 8-9 minutes (keep checking to see if the oysters are beginning to open)
Time: Propane steamer	8-10 min per batch	8-10 min per batch	Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: 8-10 minutes; shells open about 1/4 to 1/2 in Garden & Gun, Secrets to a Southern Oyster Roast (2014-10-26), checked 2026-10-25: steamed: after about four or five minutes, remove from the flame
Steel plate	2x2 to 4x4 ft, 1/4 in thick or more	2x2 to 4x4 ft, 1/4 in thick or more	Garden & Gun, Secrets to a Southern Oyster Roast (2014-10-26), checked 2026-10-25: Sheet of steel (2'x2' or 3'x3' and no less than 1/4" thick) Alabama Gulf Seafood, Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: sheet metal 4 feet by 4 feet, ideally with a rim Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: steel plate 1/4 in thick or more
Cinder blocks	4, one at each corner	4, one at each corner	Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: cinder blocks or supports at each corner
Burlap sacks	wet, large, thick	wet, large, thick	Alabama Gulf Seafood, Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: a large, thick burlap sack; any thick towel will do Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: burlap sack or thick cotton towels
Table	1/2 in plywood on two sawhorses	1/2 in plywood on two sawhorses	Garden & Gun, Secrets to a Southern Oyster Roast (2014-10-26), checked 2026-10-25: two saw horses and a piece of 1/2-inch thick plywood
Shovel	clean, metal	clean, metal	Alabama Gulf Seafood, Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: a clean metal shovel
Oyster knives	several	several	Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: Oyster knives (several)
Gloves	garden or heat-resistant	garden or heat-resistant	Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: Garden gloves or heat-resistant gloves
Hand towels, hand sanitizer			Charleston Bay Gourmet, Oyster Roast FAQ, checked 2026-10-25: tables, drums, gloves, knives, hand towels, hand sanitizer, sauces, and crackers
Serve with			Folly Beach, Perfecting the Oyster Roast, checked 2026-10-25: Saltine crackers or crusty bread; cocktail sauce, mignonette, Cajun butter drizzle Charleston Bay Gourmet, Oyster Roast FAQ, checked 2026-10-25: sauces and crackers
Season	Oct 1 to mid-Apr	Oct 1 to mid-Apr	Charleston Bay Gourmet, Oyster Roast Information, checked 2026-10-25: Picking season usually opens on October 1st; roasts typically stop around mid-April

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Oyster roast calculator

Shopping list

Totals

Equipment

Timing

Groceries

Sources