Oysters

Bluff Oyster season has not long started here in NZ so picked up my first dozen as a treat. $27 NZD for a dozen is not cheap but these are so nice I just had to have some.
Bluff Oysters are wild and dredge harvested, they IMO taste the best. Pacific oysters just don't taste the same.

Do you guys like oysters and how do you have them?

I enjoy my oyster natural or with a small amount off balsamic vinegar.



I also had one with a small amount of Big O's hot sauce. That was very nice, thanks again Owen.
It was well balanced, I could taste the oyster and then the sauce, it never took over from the oyster, perfect.

Chris, those look amazing and fresh. I like them with a little horseradish, a squeeze of lemon and a few drops of hot sauce. If they are not on the half shell a saltine cracker is good.

Just went to a pier out here on the Oregon coast and bought a crab and a dozen oysters for tonight's dinner. On the way home, stopped for some oyster shooters and shrimp cocktail. The crab is already cooked, so I'll be having that cold. I'll throw the oysters on the grill for a bit 'til they're spurting, then crack 'em open and dip in some cocktail sauce with lemon juice. Man I love seafood.

Pop em open a dash of salt or hot sauce and that is it!

Straight out of the shell and into my mouth if I can help it.

Edcculus said:

Straight out of the shell and into my mouth if I can help it.

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+1 on that.....

I'm here in the Pacific North West and blessed with great oysters year-round. There's a very well known and well respected oyster "farm" in Marshall, CA. The oysters are farmed right here in Tomolas Bay and brought to their beach side market and available to eat right there or to take home or our favorite, to the near by campground for a day of oysters, beer, steaks, wine and naps ;-)

Thanks for the post because I think I know where my wife and I are headed next week!!

turtle said:

+1 on that.....

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We have access to awesome, fresh oysters in Charleston SC. In our region, oysters should only be harvested/eaten in months with an "R" in them. I grew up going to Oyster Roasts. Basically, you get a bunch of people together and get a few bushels of oysters. Clean off the mud, then steam them, but don't let them open. Then the oysters get dumped onto a plywood table with a hole cut in the middle for a trash can. Shuck them straight out of the shell and enjoy! If you are lucky, you will get a crab. And if you have trouble getting them opened, my dad told me to always go in from the back...

Edcculus said:

Straight out of the shell and into my mouth if I can help it.

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I'm with you there. I do quite a bit of quality control while shucking, which helps keep the tray from getting overly cluttered, don't you know.

Yum! I like them raw on a saltine cracker with a good dose of horseradish cocktail sauce. Lightly battered and fried works well, too.

Oysters are something I cannot bring myself to eat raw. I like fried oysters, however.

on edit: glad you're liking the sauce

The first time I tried a raw oyster, I had to throw up. It took about 20 years before I had the nerve to try it again, and it was a lot better that time.

I used to get a dozen on the half-shell at the Cross Street Market in Baltimore, after a lunch of hand rolls from Samurai Sushi. They were served with horseradish and crackers on the side.

There was a Chinese restaurant across the street from me that served them breaded and hot. They were really good, but they came out of the frying oil REALLY hot, so I had to be careful and wait 10 minutes or so for them to cool down before I could eat them.

I've made breaded oysters a few times at home. I use McCormack's bread crumbs which are already seasoned with Old Bay. Then I serve them up with McCormack's cocktail sauce.

I also like them smoked. I used to be able to get a 3.5oz tin of Bumble Bee oysters for about $1.49, but I haven't seen them at that price in about a year. And I don't want to spend any more than that. Every place else I find them, they're about $2.29. Not worth it at that price.

oc_in_fw said:

Oysters are something I cannot bring myself to eat raw. I like fried oysters, however.

on edit: glad you're liking the sauce

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While I prefer natural, lightly cooked in a tempura batter is nice.

oc_in_fw said:

Oysters are something I cannot bring myself to eat raw. I like fried oysters, however.

on edit: glad you're liking the sauce

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Don't get me talkin with my Texas accent there Owen. Fried oyster Po Boys with jalapeño mayo....yummy.

Stayed on a small boat in the Chandaleur Islands for several days fishing. We found a plank probably twenty feet long with oysters all over it. We tied a buoy to it and went back every day for a couple of five gallon buckets full for an appetizer. Raw with Tabasco sauce. My favorite is chargrilled. Oysters on the half shell, put on the grill, drizzled with butter, minced garlic and parmesan cheese. Let the fire flame up until the cheese is melted and browned. Serve with French bread to soak up the excess butter.

Fried is nice

ON the half shell grilled over wood is PDG too.

^^^

After a quick test batch, I can happily say oysters on the grill go great with Miles Davis' "Sketches Of Spain" album and a Bloody Beer [emoji106]

I'll report back if anything changes with the remainder of the dozen.

Cosmos Mariner said:

After a quick test batch, I can happily say oysters on the grill go great with Miles Davis' "Sketches Of Spain" album and a Bloody Beer [emoji106]

I'll report back if anything changes with the remainder of the dozen.

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sounds nice....photos or it did not happen.

cleanshaved said:

sounds nice....photos or it did not happen.

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Oh I'd love to show you, but it seems my connection isn't good enough to send pics right now. It keeps timing out before posting.