Oysters and their bivalve brethren - the finominal filterers

[Reagan1k 3,024]

I don't see that we have a thread dedicated to oysters or their kinfolk, even though they show up on a lot of these threads.

Just had some chargrilled by a new neighbor (fast becoming my favorite neighbor).... handed over the fence - I was expecting traditional grilled, but he topped each with a small amount of homemade pimento cheese and then he crumbled up some Best Stop cracklins on them and they were incredible.

Might be the best I've had in a long time.

Whatcha' got?

 

[SimonBolivar 10,957]

I was a huge oyster fan until I found out last year that I'm deathly allergic to them. Raw with a hint of lemon and a dab of hotsauce was all I needed. The best part is that you can eat them all day since they're about 8 calories each.

 

 

 

Fate is a cruel mistress.

Edited June 26, 2020 by SimonBolivar

[crash_davis 23,101]

where are yall buying the oysters? are they already shucked? can you buy them unshucked? and how much?

[SimonBolivar 10,957]

9 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

where are yall buying the oysters? are they already shucked? can you buy them unshucked? and how much?

HEB sells them seasonally unshucked. Prices vary, but I always enjoyed getting mine at a restaurant like Deckhand with the staff doing all the work.

Edited June 26, 2020 by SimonBolivar

[Anastasis 23,463]

God damnit now I want some oysters. 

[Guest Lobo]

yeah, hadn't thought about them during whole pandemic because all my favorite oyster haunts were closed.  

I like 'em grilled at restaurants but never done it at home because nobody else in my house eats them.  For those that grill them at home (and I like that pimento cheese/cracklins suggestion), what's your recommended technique?

[Brisketexan 105,075]

14 minutes ago, Lobo said:

yeah, hadn't thought about them during whole pandemic because all my favorite oyster haunts were closed.  

I like 'em grilled at restaurants but never done it at home because nobody else in my house eats them.  For those that grill them at home (and I like that pimento cheese/cracklins suggestion), what's your recommended technique?

Simple.  Gas grill super hot.  Shuck them fresh, leave them in one half of the shell.  Top with your fatty mix (butter and romano etc. is the traditional mix) -- this is key, because the spilling fat flares up, and gives you that chargrilled flavor.  Cook for just  a few minutes, serve and eat.  It's so easy, except for the shucking.

[Reagan1k 3,024]

Just now, Lobo said:

yeah, hadn't thought about them during whole pandemic because all my favorite oyster haunts were closed.  

I like 'em grilled at restaurants but never done it at home because nobody else in my house eats them.  For those that grill them at home (and I like that pimento cheese/cracklins suggestion), what's your recommended technique?

I've tried several times to replicate GW Fins smoked sizzling oysters with moderate success, but never quite the same.  They have the advantage of heating the shells under a salamander which is hotter than a home broiler and I like to think that's the difference.  Or, maybe it's just that they're better at the process.

Simply is usually better unless you are trying to hide the oyster from someone who isn't sure they like them.  Little herbed or garlic butter of your liking and maybe some good  Parmigiano-Reggiano to finish.

Rockefeller seems to bury the flavor of the oyster too much but I've never turned it down. 

When the weather cools off I love them in a cream stew.  Having them dropped into a very hot gumbo at the time it is served is always great.

Haven't done it in a while, but we used to get a sack once or twice a year and just sit around and shuck and eat.  Takes a while to get in the groove and if you have more eaters than shuckers that gets old for the shuckers.

[hornbri 1,396]

1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

Simple.  Gas grill super hot.  Shuck them fresh, leave them in one half of the shell.  Top with your fatty mix (butter and romano etc. is the traditional mix) -- this is key, because the spilling fat flares up, and gives you that chargrilled flavor.  Cook for just  a few minutes, serve and eat.  It's so easy, except for the shucking.

Pretty much this, there is not a lot to them. 

You can also have a some raw ones as you are shucking.

Get your self a good oyster knife and it is not that bad. You can get them at Central Market, Whole Foods, Quality seafood most of the time. Most of those places will have gulf and some coastal oysters (I would not grill the coastal ones). 

[Brisketexan 105,075]

3 minutes ago, hornbri said:

Pretty much this, there is not a lot to them. 

You can also have a some raw ones as you are shucking.

Get your self a good oyster knife and it is not that bad. You can get them at Central Market, Whole Foods, Quality seafood most of the time. Most of those places will have gulf and some coastal oysters (I would not grill the coastal ones). 

Get the Oxo oyster knife -- big rubber grip, stout blade.

[UnivTex34 1,763]

Hint for those not wanting to shuck, Whole Foods will shuck them for you free of charge. Did that for several years before I got my own knife.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

Just now, Brisketexan said:

Get the Oxo oyster knife -- big rubber grip, stout blade.

And a glove.

[Brisketexan 105,075]

Just now, UnivTex34 said:

Hint for those not wanting to shuck, Whole Foods will shuck them for you free of charge. Did that for several years before I got my own knife.

Very good point -- even better, in non COVID days, you can even eat them right there in the store.  Oysters on the half shell, for market price (tip the dude, though).  And if they're shucking for you, just make sure they give you some shells to use for grilling.

[Brisketexan 105,075]

1 minute ago, conVINCEd said:

And a glove.

Thick dish towel.  That's the way my family always did it.

[crash_davis 23,101]

2 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Thick dish towel.  That's the way my family always did it.

Yea but we're not poor now. Can't prop up the economy if we're not wasting money on shit we don't need.

[Llano Estacado 1,257]

And a glove.

I have 2 equally long parallel scars on the meaty part of the palm of my left hand. One is from using a folding knife as a pry tool the other is an oyster shucking incident.

I know the oyster scar came second but now I can’t recall if it was above or below the old scar.

[conVINCEd 21,469]

1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

Thick dish towel.  That's the way my family always did it.

I got a glove as a stocking stuffer a few years ago.  IMO it works a little better and doesn’t ruin a dish towel, but I will defer to your coonass expertise.

[hornbri 1,396]

Yeah I have a glove and it works pretty well. I got tired of cutting my hand up. 

[conVINCEd 21,469]

I  need to run to the store and pick up a few things.  Thinking about going toCentral Market instead of Tom Thumb now.  A dozen gulf grilled and a dozen blue points raw sounds about right.

Edited June 26, 2020 by conVINCEd

[Brisketexan 105,075]

30 minutes ago, hornbri said:

You can also have a some raw ones as you are shucking.

Oh, and .....duh.  That's part of the deal.  If I'm gonna grill a dozen, I buy 18.

[Gourmand 7,774]

Some East Coast oysters I had pre-quarantine. I miss oysters.

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[crash_davis 23,101]

This thread gave me a boner sized hankering for raw oysters. Was excite! about going to Papadeaux. 

The Fuck. They do not have raw oysters on the menu.

Now I'm officially pissed.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

Old Salts from the Atlantic ocean side of the Eastern Shore of Va.  Briny, tasty morsels with fresh horseradish, lemon juice, and a small dab of cocktail sauce on the half shell. Best, most consistently flavored I've had anywhere.

A Caesar salad topped with flash fired baby oysters.... oh yeah 

Or just flash fried Old Salts rolled in flour, salt and pepper and a side of extra horseradishy cocktail sauce after squeezing a couple lemon halves across the rare center wonders..

[TonyTexas 10,508]

I won’t eat raw shucked gulf oysters in the summer months. Not only are they not as good but a bad one can really fuck you up. 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

3 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

I won’t eat raw shucked gulf oysters in the summer months. Not only are they not as good but a bad one can really fuck you up. 

The old never in a month without an "R" in it ?

[thrillhammer 683]

if you're in Austin, go to deckhand.

[thrillhammer 683]

9 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The old never in a month without an "R" in it ?

that's not just a myth.  not only is there a higher chance of vibrio in the water in the warmer months, but the oysters go into a different phase of their breeding then.  their hormones/chemistry changes and they take on a different taste.

[SimonBolivar 10,957]

3 minutes ago, thrillhammer said:

if you're in Austin, go to deckhand.

75 minutes from my door to Deckhand and it's worth every minute.

Edited June 26, 2020 by SimonBolivar

[HenryJames 66,038]

Gulf oysters are trash.

[Gourmand 7,774]

Gulf oysters are trash.

Not in the winter months. They were great back in January.

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[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

18 minutes ago, thrillhammer said:

that's not just a myth.  not only is there a higher chance of vibrio in the water in the warmer months, but the oysters go into a different phase of their breeding then.  their hormones/chemistry changes and they take on a different taste.

Growing up on the Chesapeake bay I'm aware of that.  There are now neutered oysters, so the breeding issue doesn't always come in to play.  Water temp. is still an issue in my opinion though.

[thrillhammer 683]

the farmed oysters are sterile?  I wasn't aware of that.  Chesapeake bay are probably the classic, consistently best oyster ever.  that was back 10 yrs or so ago.  Apalachicola was always better to me though - bigger, plumper. sadly,  those aren't around in great number anymore either. 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

57 minutes ago, thrillhammer said:

the farmed oysters are sterile?  I wasn't aware of that.  Chesapeake bay are probably the classic, consistently best oyster ever.  that was back 10 yrs or so ago.  Apalachicola was always better to me though - bigger, plumper. sadly,  those aren't around in great number anymore either. 

Apparently,  but not sure about the numbers being produced, and about if they all are or just the stock they keep going for summer months.

[TonyTexas 10,508]

Here’s a very good article on gulf oyster farming. It’s the future but get ready to pay extra. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theadvertiser.com/amp/2364602001

[twosheds 374]

I seem to recall an article earlier this year about Acme Oyster Co planning a restaurant in Houston at the old tower theatre on Montrose. I don’t know if the covid has delayed those plans I could look later but that seems like a lot of clicks.

[TonyTexas 10,508]

2 minutes ago, twosheds said:

I seem to recall an article earlier this year about Acme Oyster Co planning a restaurant in Houston at the old tower theatre on Montrose. I don’t know if the covid has delayed those plans I could look later but that seems like a lot of clicks.

Yeah they are taking over the old El Real space. It was announced during the Covid shutdown so probably not too delayed. 

[washparkhorn 9,939]

If you are in Denver, go to Stoic and Genuine at Union Station. Start at Cooper Lounge - a cocktail bar up overlooking the grand atrium at Union Station. Then head to Stoic and Genuine for dinner. Great chef. Terrific oysters from the West and East coasts. 

I love them raw, but you guys have some nice recipes.

 

 

[thrillhammer 683]

Felix's was always more fine dining to me.  I remember going to new Orleans in the mid 80's and there were nickel oysters during happy hour at some bars on bourbon street.  nickel oysters.

[Kyrie Eleison 9,312]

there’s a store right when you get into Sargent that sells them fresh shucked by the quart for what are relative pennies compared to market price.

i’ve been known to fill up a tea glass and chug ‘em down, albeit with them swimming in the proper accouterments.

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

1 minute ago, Kyrie Eleison said:

there’s a store right when you get into Sargent that sells them fresh shucked by the quart for what are relative pennies compared to market price.

i’ve been known to fill up a tea glass and chug ‘em down, albeit with them swimming in the proper accouterments.

glass

oyster in glass

cocktail sauce and a hefty dash of horseradish 

cover with vodka

 

........drink several.....  THAT'S how it's done.

 

[Kyrie Eleison 9,312]

75 minutes from my door to Deckhand and it's worth every minute.

i’d ride bitch with you next time if’n you want; even buy the gas and we’d come back with two sacks.

[washparkhorn 9,939]

Still Life with Fruit, Oysters and Wine - Kuhn 1865

[conVINCEd 21,469]

4 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

I won’t eat raw shucked gulf oysters in the summer months. Not only are they not as good but a bad one can really fuck you up. 

I didn’t eat raw oysters until a few years ago.  When I was a kid, my uncle got sick from them and it damn near killed him.  Multiple weeks in the hospital and he lost something like 40 lbs as a healthy former D1 athlete, 40-something executive for a big 6 accounting firm. So I was reluctant.   I was talked into trying them well into a happy hour, and fuck if I don’t love them now.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

5 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

if you're in Austin, go to deckhand.

Tarzan from Deckhand gets a lot of his from his relatives in the Palacios to Seadrift area.  If anybody wants to go rake some and shuck them I can tell you exactly where to go.  Lot of work though.  

[elfenix 34,223]

get a galveston knife - good compromise between the narrower boston style and thicker new haven style.  to shuck, press the oyster against something solid (i got to pro level using the brick window sill in the backyard at a friend's house), protecting your hand with a heavy dish towel.  work the knife in against the hinge and, using small movements and some pressure, rotate until the oyster pops. 

 

protip: if you're going to be cooking them they'll open themselves if you put them near the fire. 

7 hours ago, UnivTex34 said:

Hint for those not wanting to shuck, Whole Foods will shuck them for you free of charge. Did that for several years before I got my own knife.

rumor has it that getting shucked and taking them to the wine bar at whole foods is a nice cheap date

[elfenix 34,223]

5 hours ago, HenryJames said:

Gulf oysters are trash.

[Incredulity 11,654]

5 hours ago, TonyTexas said:

I won’t eat raw shucked gulf oysters in the summer months. Not only are they not as good but a bad one can really fuck you up. 

This. I once got sick from eating raw oysters in Aug.

More than a week of fatigue and chills, sweater in Aug chills, and non stop water outta my butt.  
 

It sucks because you can’t beat raw oysters on a hot summer evening with a cocktail.

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,652]

Damn. This thread makes me hungry. My biggest miss of prekiddo  (and covid) life was being able to run to Gilhooleys whenever I was craving oysters. 

[Covri 6,244]

Fried oyster po’boys are the best po’boys.

[Gourmand 7,774]

75 minutes from my door to Deckhand and it's worth every minute.

There's one in Round Rock as well if that is closer.

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