Eating Oysters
Gourmet oysters are one of nature's most delicious offerings from the sea. Served in top seafood restaurants world wide, some people enjoy them raw on the half shell while others prefer them cooked in a wide variety of seafood dishes and chowders. Despite the wide range of oyster names, there are 4 main species of oysters; Pacific which are also known as Japanese, Atlantic or Eastern, European flat & Olympia oysters.
Although fresh oysters are safe to eat anytime of the year, fresh oysters aren't as good during summer months and are best during months that have r's in them. There are several different opinions on when to eat oysters, however I have come to find that the R month rule actually does hold some truth to it and I prefer to buy frozen oysters during the warm summer months. There is no safety risk when eating fresh oysters during the summer months and it's perfectly fine to consume them, the quality is just slightly less than that of winter months. The reason for this is oysters spawn during the summer and their meat becomes soft and milky while in the winter their meat is firm and more flavorful.
When you buy fresh oysters the first consideration to take into account is the way they are displayed at the store. They should be laid out flat on ice. If they are sold and stored in bags or bowls their juices will drain and they will lose the all important succulence they are so famous for. The next thing to check is that their shells are all tightly closed, if you find one that is not closed give it a quick tap and if it doesn't close this means it's dead and you shouldn't buy it. If you plan to eat your oysters raw on the half shell it is best to purchase oysters alive because they are best right after shucking. However if you intend to cook your oysters, it's ok and convenient to buy them pre-shucked in a vacuum sealed bag. Pre-shucked oysters should be plump and immersed in sweet liquor.
To avoid the dangers of eating raw oysters, the safest oysters to buy are cold water varieties from the Pacific and Atlantic regions. Gulf Coast oysters carry a natural toxic bacterium that is known to cause illness. If you do decide to go with Gulf Coast oysters confirm that they are certified healthy before purchase. Women should not eat oysters while pregnant. People with weak immune systems also should not consume oysters. Drinking alcohol and eating oysters does not mix.
For optimum quality and taste I recommend eating oysters within 24 hours of receiving them. However, they will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator when laid out flat and covered with a damp cloth. Shucked oysters will last 2 days in liquor in the refrigerator and up to 3 months when frozen. To avoid frost bite use heavy duty freezer bags when freezing oysters.
When shucking oysters it is best of course to use an oyster knife. If you do not have an oyster knife, the sharp edge of a bottle opener will be sufficient to open the oyster and a dull knife should be used to cut out the oyster meat. To avoid injury do not use a sharp steak knife to open the shell or cut the meat out. You will also need protection for your hands in case the knife gets away from you, this can be anything from a custom made oyster glove to a pot holder, just make sure it's thick enough to absorb a knife blow.
You may want to put the oysters in the freezer for 15 minutes before shucking to weaken their grip and make them easier to open. Keep in mind putting them in the freezer does make them slightly less fresh. If you are cooking oysters, a quick way to speed up shucking is to put each one over a gas burner for no more than 5 seconds. If you use this method make sure to put the larger part of the shell over the flame. Another way to make oyster shucking easier is to lay them flat on a plate and microwave them on high for no more than 20 seconds.
Oyster cooking is very easy, simply pre-heat a frying pan until hot and place the shucked oysters in for 45 seconds while stirring. When finished remove your oysters quickly to avoid over cooking which will make them tough.
This guide is very basic and outlines the quickest way to prepare oysters for consumption, there are also many gourmet cooking recipes that call for oysters. On this site you will find more in-depth information on cooking fresh oysters along with gourmet appetizer recipes and serving instructions so make sure to check those out.
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