OYSTERS

THE NOT SO SECRET – SECRET TO GOOD OYSTERS – IS SAFE HANDLING.

From the moment you purchase, insure that they are kept cold and fresh – on ice or covered with a damp cloth in the fridge to keep them moist. Fresh oysters must be alive just before consumption or cooking. Tap on the shell– a live oyster will close up and is safe to eat. Here's a few oysters you may meet in Washington and how to care for them.

Olympia

Washington's native oyster, the Olympia is small with a metallic finish in its taste. Olympias were harvested from the 1800s until about 1915. Raked from shallow bays in Puget Sound and Willapa Bay, this wild fishery eventually collapsed over harvesting and pollution. Efforts are now underway to reintroduce wild stock of this species.

Pacific

Native to Japan, Washington farmers have been interested in the Pacific oyster since 1904, however they didn't begin importing seed in commercial quantities until the 1930s. This practice of importing seed lasted for over 45 years. The Pacific is now an important commercial species on the West Coast. Beginning in the 1950s researchers began to study Pacific reproduction to reduce the dependence on seed imports. Since the 1970s local shellfish growers have relied on hatcheries for production.

Virginica

The decline of the Olympia oyster opened the door for the import of the Virginica from the east coast in the early 1900s. The eastern oysters did not adapt well to NW waters and experienced large die off when transplanted. However, Virginicas are still raised by WA shellfish farmers.

Kumamoto

The Kumamoto has a small deep cup and a sweet meat that is prized by raw oyster consumers. Brought to WA from Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture, they are unable to reproduce in Northwest waters so growers rely exclusively on hatchery stock. The prized cup of the Kumamoto oyster and its limited supply has growers altering growing practices to create cupped Pacific oysters to meet half shell market demands. Growers use flip or tumble bags to chip the shell of the Pacific and force it into a deeper cup. Specialty oysters with names such as Kusshi, Shigoku, Sea Cow, Blue Pools, Chelsea Gems, and Baywater Sweets, are the result.

Keep It Safe

Live oysters (as with all shellfish) should be stored under well-ventilated refrigeration in an open container. Place a damp towel on top to maintain humidity. Never store shellfish in water. They will die and may spoil. Discard dead shellfish promptly. Oysters should be tightly closed and should not open when tapped. Generally shellfish that close their shells completely can be stored for up to seven days. This includes oysters, littlenecks, butter clams, and cockles. Exception: Mussels can be stored for three to four days. Shellfish that cannot completely close their shells can be stored for three to four days. This includes horse clams, softshell clams, geoducks, and razor clams. Shellfish removed from their shells should keep in a refrigerator for up to three days. In a freezer, they should keep for up to three months. Cooked shellfish should keep in the refrigerator for up to two days and in a freezer up to three months. Shellfish taken from the freezer and thawed in a refrigerator should keep for up to two days. Once thawed, do not refreeze.