Our oysters are shucked and sold in both pints and quarts. All of our oysters come from state approved waters and shucked in licensed and inspected facilities. The oyster season runs from September into the beginning of May. The old adage of eating oysters only in months with an "R" was before the days of adequate refrigeration, but they do taste better in the colder months. Also they are potentially more dangerous in the warmer months if eaten raw, so we don't carry them during the summer months. (Click here for more info on eating raw oysters).

The Eastern oyster, the kind that we carry, is known for its distinctive, salty flavor and meaty texture. Cooked meat turns ivory. They can be fried, baked, steamed, broiled or micro-waved and can be served as appetizers, main dishes, side dishes or salads. Oysters are tender creatures. They should never be heated too quickly or too long. Oyster stew attests to the delicious flavor of the cooked oyster in its own broth.

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. 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. Today, two-thirds of the national oyster harvest is Eastern oysters. While Pacific oysters are mostly cultivated, Eastern oysters are harvested mainly from wild beds. Eastern oysters have a moderately deep, elongated, gray-white to gray-brown, rough, spoon-shaped shell with rose-colored streaks. Inside is a light-colored fringe (the gill) and creamy to light-brown meat. 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.

Oysters are high in minerals and one of nature’s richest sources of iron, more than calf's liver; eight ounces provide 13.2 milligrams or 73% of the maximum adult daily iron requirement (18 milligrams). They contain as much of the trace elements as meat from domestic animals and more than vegetables and dairy products. The protein in oysters is of high quality and is more digestible than beef or chicken.

Store fresh, shucked oysters on ice or in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within five days of purchase.  You can freeze oysters in  the containers we sell them in, but make sure to drain a bit of the juice first to prevent the lid from popping. Or freeze in an airtight container. You can freeze them for several months but its better to cook them afterwards (raw oysters are better eaten fresh). Thaw them in the container under cold running water or in the refrigerator. Never refreeze.