Florida Oysters
Attributes
Tender to firm texture, flavor varies from salty to bland. Extra lean.
Substitutes
Clams.
How Much to Buy
In-shell oysters: 6 whole oysters per serving.
Shucked oysters: 1/3 to 1/2 pint per serving
Buying, Storage and Handling
Live Oysters:
Remember to purchase seafood last and keep it cold during the trip home.
Live oysters should close tightly when tapped.
Discard any oysters that don't close; this is an indication that the shellfish are dead.
They should have a mild odor, similar to the ocean.
Live oysters should be free of cracks.
They will remain alive for up to seven days in the refrigerator when stored at a constant 41 degrees F in a container with the lid slightly open.
Drain excess liquid daily.
Shucked Oysters:
Remember to purchase seafood last and keep it cold during the trip home.
Oysters have a fresh odor when freshly shucked.
A clear, slightly milky or gray liquid should surround freshly shucked oysters.
Freshly shucked scallops should have very little liquid in the package.
Refrigerate shellfish in a sealed container on ice or in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
Store shucked oysters up to five days.
Preparation
Keep raw and cooked seafood separate to prevent bacterial cross-contamination.
After handling raw seafood thoroughly wash knives, cutting surfaces, sponges and your hands with hot soapy water.
Always marinate seafood in the refrigerator.
Discard marinade; it contains raw juices which may harbor bacteria.
When marinade is needed for basting reserve a portion before adding raw seafood.
Cooking
Wash live oysters thoroughly under cold running water prior to cooking.
Steamed or grilled: cook until shell opens.
Shucked oysters: bread and fry in oil for 3 to 4 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Shucked oysters: bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F.
Nutrition
Nutritional values for approximately 4 ounces (114 grams) of raw, edible portions
Calories 80
Calories From Fat 20
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat .5 g
Cholesterol 55 mg
Sodium 190 mg
Total Carbohydrates 4 g
Protein 9 g
Vitamin A 0 %DV
Vitamin C 0 %DV
Calcium 10 %DV
Iron 45 %DV
Omega-3 Fatty Acid 0.61 g
Health Advisory
If you eat raw oysters you need to be aware that certain health conditions put some people at risk of serious illness or death and these people should not eat raw oysters. Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterium that occurs naturally in marine waters. It is not a threat to most healthy people, but Vibrio vulnificus can cause sudden chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, blood poisoning and death within two days in people with certain medical conditions. The presence of the bacteria is not a result of pollution or poor product handling. Eating oysters from "clean" waters or in reputable restaurants with high product turnover does not provide protection.
Fully cooking oysters completely kills the bacteria, so you can continue to enjoy oysters in many cooked preparations. When dining at restaurants, order oysters fully cooked if you have one of the risk conditions. Eating raw oysters with hot sauce or while drinking alcohol does NOT kill the bacteria.
You are at risk of being infected by Vibrio vulnificus if you have any of the following conditions:
-- Liver disease, either from an excessive alcohol intake (two to three drinks daily), viral hepatitis or other causes. (Liver disease will put you at increased risk for Vibrio vulnificus infection from raw oysters. The risk of infection is 200 times greater for individuals with liver disease than those without liver disease.)
-- Iron disorder hemochromatosis.
-- Diabetes.
-- Cancer.
-- Stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach acid (for example, from antacid use).
-- Immune disorders, including HIV infection long-term steroid use, e.g., asthma and arthritis
If you are an older adult, you may be at greater risk of having these conditions than a younger person. If you are or think you may be in any of these risk categories, you should not eat raw oysters. If you are unsure of your risk check with your doctor.
More About Oysters
The cultivation of oysters began more than 2,000 years ago when Romans collected oyster seed stock near the mouth of the Adriatic Sea and transported them to another part of Italy for grow-out. The Romans had such a passion for oysters that they imported them from all over the Mediterranean and European coasts.
Oysters flourish in estuaries where nutrient-rich fresh water meets the salt water and feed mainly on single-cell plants. When feeding, the oyster can pump and filter 25 gallons of water in 24 hours. Florida's estuaries provide suitable conditions and a plentiful food supply for Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to grow rapidly. They can reach marketable size in less than two years; whereas, it may take oysters up to six years to reach marketable size in colder northern waters. When traveling along the Gulf Coast, you may see oysters being harvested commercially from small boats by fishermen using large, long handled tongs to scoop clumps of oysters from the bottom.
Texas may be best known for beef, but its bay oysters rank second to none. Ask any
connoisseur. Texas oysters are impeccably fresh-whether served on the half shell with a kiss of salt air and Texas hot sauce or shucked for a sauté or creamy stew.
Texans know their oysters. They've eaten the briney bivalves for centuries – ever since Native American Karankawas living on the coast waded pristine shallows to scoop dinner from a reef. After eating, the Karankawas tossed empty oysters shells until mounds dotted the shore. Though most have washed away, these shell middens can still be found around Galveston Bay.
Like the Karankawas of old, modern Texans enjoy succulent raw oysters, but their taste buds also hanker for batter-fried, grilled and host of new dishes from innovative chefs expanding the Texas oyster menu. When Texas Department of Agriculture staff sampled Oysters in Chipotle Sauce at Galveston's Mardi Gras, they almost had to beat back the revelers with shucking knives. An overflow crowd of 2,000 – three times the number expected – queued up for spicy oysters and strands of Texas pearls.
The American commercial oyster (Crassostrea virginica) thrives in the bays and estuaries behind barrier islands separating the Texas mainland from the Gulf of Mexico. Here, fresh and saltwater combine to crate the environment oysters need to live and flourish. Fans of Texas oysters can buy their favorite mollusk year round. Harvest, confined to natural reefs in state-approved waters, takes place on public reefs in the bay system from November 1 – May 1.
During open season anyone with a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department harvester's license may harvest oysters and sell to dealers certified by the Texas Department of Health. The rest of the year harvest occurs on private oyster leases, mainly in Galveston Bay, home to 60-70 percent of the oyster crop. Smaller catches ocean from Matagorda and San Antonio bays as well as others in the system.
Up and down coast, reefs emerge at low tide in shallow areas. Early settlers must have delighted in this sight and the feast growing just beyond shore. Back then, the oysters' reputation spread rapidly, even catching the ear of a U.S. Army general stationed in San Antonio who insisted on moving his headquarters to Corpus Christi to take advantage of the balmy weather and local cuisine, especially the bay oysters.
Corpus Christi gave birth to a tall Texas tale adding to the state's oyster lore. As the story goes, Texas Rangers chased a band of marauding Indians onto a beach jutting into the bay. Knowing the Indians were surrounded by water and couldn't escape the Rangers decided to camp until morning. When the sun rose, the beach was empty. All they found were footprints leading into the water.
Some say the story marked the discovery of Reef Road, a series of oyster shell beds between Corpus Christi and Nueces bays. Reef Road could be crossed by horse wagon at low tide, and for years locals used the submerged route to cut travel time between Nueces and San Patricio counties. Meanwhile, other enterprising Texans were reaping a harvest that would develop into the country's second-leading oyster industry. By 1890, four years before the Grand Opera hall opened in romantic Galveston, oystermen harvested more than 2 million pounds of meat. Fourteen years later, as Galveston rebuilt from the devastating hurricane of 1900, the figure had climbed to a record-breaking 3.5 million pounds.
In those days, skiffs manned boy "tongers" piled reefs. On a calm day, a good tonger could haul in 6 barrels of oysters with long scissors-like tongs. Tongs remained the primary harvesting tool until the late 1940's when more efficient dredges did them in. Boats outfitted with dredges can harvest up to 100 sacks of oysters and return to shore quickly. Within 24 hours, the oysters can be delivered to restaurants and retailers in and out of state.
Texas oysters are certified. From boat to storage and sale, they meet the most stringent state and federal regulations. It's assurance to the nation's consumers that Texas oysters are the freshest and the best.
Eastern Oyster
Crassostrea virginica
Other Common Names
Oyster
Seasonal Availability
J F M A M J J A S O N D
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Size Range Available
0 to 0 lbs.
Product Forms Available
sack (live); graded for half-shell; Post-harvest-treated, half-shell oysters; Shucked (fresh or frozen); Canned
Where Most Available Locally
Coastwide especially central and eastern Louisiana
Bake Broil Fry Poach Steam Sashimi Grill Smoke
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