Angels on Horseback

Party pleasing angels on horseback—oysters wrapped in partially cooked bacon then grilled or broiled and spritzed with lime or lemon—date back to Victorian England. A perfect appetizer for any holiday get together!

Ingredients

• 16 to 32 small oysters (or scallops), or larger ones cut in half, shucked
• 8 to 16 slices thin-cut bacon
• Lime or lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Pre-cook the bacon slices:

   Working in batches if necessary, cook the bacon slices on medium low heat in a large frying pan, until only about halfway cooked, but not crispy.

   You need to pre-cook the bacon a bit or else when you cook them with the oysters the oysters will be overcooked by the time the bacon is crispy. Set the bacon aside to cool.

2. Heat the grill:

   Get a grill or broiler good and hot while you wrap the oysters.

3. Wrap bacon around oysters:

   To make an angel on horseback, you wrap 1/2 a piece of bacon around the small oyster and secure it with the toothpick. Overlap the edges of the bacon by about an inch if you can.

4. Grill or broil:

   Grill or broil over high heat to cook the oyster and crisp the bacon, about 5 to 6 minutes on the first side Turn them over and grill another 2 to 4 minutes. You will need to turn them once or twice to get a good crispiness on all sides.

5. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice:

   As soon as they come off the heat, squirt with the lemon or lime juice and serve hot.