How to store oysters
Oysters are a rare guest in our house. Some people don’t understand their taste at all. But true connoisseurs of the taste of the sea, iodine with sourness and exotics will not skimp on the pleasure of eating an oyster. This shellfish was once brought to the Russian table by Peter the Great, and since then it has been one of the most expensive and refined dishes adopted from French cuisine.
There are several ways to cook oysters. Raw seafood is considered the ideal dish. The sink is opened using a special table knife, the valves are lifted, and the fastening muscle is cut off. A live oyster is sprinkled with lemon juice and swallowed without chewing.
Cooking using heat treatment occurs in different ways, but it is important to strictly follow the recipe. It is very easy to spoil a shellfish. The jelly-like product is fried, boiled, steamed, or baked in the oven. There are many recipes; the seafood delicacy is combined only with certain products, for example, vegetables and onions.
Seafood's constant friend is lemon juice. For cooking, you can use either fresh or frozen store-bought product.
Choosing a seafood delicacy
The taste of oysters is influenced by the time they were caught and their habitat. The tastier ones are those that live in the Northern Seas and are caught in winter.
Choose shells without damage or stains of unclear origin; good mollusks have closed shells.
The impact of two shells should resemble the sound of hitting stones.
The correct packaging is bags containing a small amount of shells or seaweed wrap.
Clean meat without casing is sold in a special marinade.
The body of the mollusk is transparent, white or cloudy, which means that the mollusk is dead and should not be eaten.
Move the flaps slightly, the live oyster will immediately slam them shut.
Clams in shells defrost at room temperature, but are not stored for a long time, so they must be cooked immediately after opening. Frozen product in shells should be stored for no more than three days, clean meat with juice - up to three months at sub-zero temperatures.
You can cook oysters at home that have been frozen by any means that involve heat treatment. Bake, boil, fry, etc. One of the most famous recipes is called “Rider Angels”.
The seafood meat is taken out, peppered, wrapped in a slice of bacon and fried in a frying pan or grill.
How to drink oysters properly
Wine complements the taste of the delicacy. First of all, dry champagne. White wine with a faint bouquet. Some connoisseurs of this dish love seafood with vodka.
How to eat oysters
Squeeze lemon onto the body of the clam. With your left hand we take the flap with the contents, with your right hand we take a special fork with short and wide teeth. You pick up the contents with the device and put it in your mouth. If you don’t know how to eat oysters correctly or don’t know how to use a fork, you can suck the fish delicacy carefully from the sharp side of the shell. Enjoy the unique taste of the shellfish by holding it in your mouth and then swallow it without chewing. Wash it down with the juice left in the sink.
Preparation
How to steam oysters
The shells are brushed to remove dirt, and undamaged whole specimens are taken. The result depends on the taste of the steam. It is not water that is poured into the container, but a combination of beer and wine. This steam soaks the transparent meat. The seafood is cooked in a regular colander over boiling liquid under a closed lid. Cooking time – 5-10 minutes. Readiness is determined by the open doors.
Oysters are fried in a frying pan in oil along with bell pepper strips and onion rings. Spicy lovers can add a crushed clove of garlic. 7 minutes is enough. Don't forget to add lemon sourness.
If you want a pure taste, fry without vegetables, in batter. Dip each clam into the egg mixture, sprinkle with flour and deep-fry. This dish is best eaten hot.
You can also fry the delicacy on the grill. Either remove the seafood meat immediately or fry it directly in the casing. To add seasonings, you need to open the shell. This recipe requires garlic butter and soy sauce. It will take no more than 7-10 minutes. The juice will boil and the meat will shrink a little.
Popular recipes include California Baked Oysters, Seafood Chowder, and Honey Fried Shallots. There are many original recipes with this product; each chef prepares oysters with his own twist.
Baked oysters
- 7 shells
- Red salad onion – 1 pc.
- Butter – 120 g
- Goat or sheep cheese – 120 g
- Dry white wine – 320 ml
- Leek stalk
- Lemon juice - tbsp.
How to prepare a delicacy? We boil the contents of the shells in wine, remove the meat, and clean the hard shell itself from dirt.
Sauté both types of onions with a piece of butter and evaporate with a small amount of the remaining wine.
Place stewed vegetables in half of the oyster shell, like in a boat, and place the oyster on top. Grate the cheese shavings on top, sprinkle with lemon and place in the oven until the cheese floats.
Harmful seafood and contraindications to its consumption
Poor quality or dead marine life can significantly harm human health. Therefore, it is important to choose your product carefully. If the shells do not open during heat treatment, it is better to throw them away.
Allergy sufferers are at risk. Marine inhabitants have a specific composition that affects immune responses and can cause swelling of some organs.
The large amount of protein contained in jelly-like seafood causes poisoning in large doses.
Pregnant, nursing mothers, children and people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland are not recommended to eat marine inhabitants.
If they were purchased alive and some of them died during storage, then they must be thrown away. Under no circumstances should you eat dead shellfish. This product is hazardous to health. The process of storing oysters involves a number of rules and nuances. Under the wrong conditions, shellfish will quickly spoil.
The nuances of storing oysters at home:
- oysters should only be stored in the refrigerator (if the mollusks are alive, then they must be regularly inspected and dead ones must be removed);
- You can preserve the juiciness of oysters with the help of ice (shells should be sprinkled with ice cubes, the ice should be changed as it melts);
- if oysters are stored using ice, then they should be placed in a colander so that the liquid drains into another container and does not accumulate;
- ice helps preserve the flavor characteristics of oysters, but does not extend their shelf life;
- if oysters are stored in shells, then they must be placed in such a way that the mollusks “look up” (otherwise the juiciness of the oysters will decrease significantly);
- when storing oysters in the refrigerator, it is recommended to use a damp towel (cover the oysters with a cloth soaked in water; it is important that the towel is damp, but not wet);
- in the refrigerator, oysters should be placed as close as possible to the freezer (on the top shelf);
- oysters can be frozen (it is recommended to first remove the shellfish from the shells);
- oysters should not be defrosted at room temperature, but in the refrigerator (water should not be used, thawing should occur naturally);
- before freezing, oysters should be filled with a small amount of water (it is recommended to freeze shellfish not in bags or cling film, but in containers that can be closed with a lid);
- pasteurized or canned oysters are stored for the period indicated on the containers or bags (it is important to continue the storage method, frozen shellfish should be placed in the freezer after purchase, canned shellfish in the refrigerator, etc.);
- the shelf life indicated on oyster packages is maintained only if the integrity of the bag or container is maintained (after opening the package, the shelf life is reduced);
- You cannot store live oysters in polyethylene or closed containers (the mollusks will suffocate and die from lack of oxygen);
- For living oysters, frost and heat are deadly (they die in the freezer and at room temperature very quickly);
- cooked oysters remain fresh for a maximum of 3 days (after this period, the shellfish meat becomes tough and rubber-like).
If the oysters were purchased alive but died during storage, then you should not eat them. The spoilage of shellfish can be determined by the opening of the valves and the presence of an unpleasant odor.
How long and at what temperature should oysters be stored?
Live ones, sprinkled with ice, can be stored in the refrigerator for an average of 7 days. It is important to use additional means - wet towels or ice. Otherwise, the oysters will remain fresh, but the juiciness of the meat will be compromised. The shelf life of oysters in and without shells is no different. On average, it is 5-7 days, provided that the shellfish are placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator. The optimal storage temperature for oysters is from +1 to +4 degrees.
The shelf life of frozen oysters is 3-4 months. Repeated frosts are not allowed. Thawed oysters must be eaten. If they are frozen again, the consistency of their meat will change, the taste will be impaired, and eating them can become hazardous to health.
Oysters in open jars or containers can be stored for an average of 2 days. If the packaging is not opened, the freshness of the shellfish will remain until the date specified by the manufacturer. If the oysters were purchased frozen, then after purchasing them, the shellfish should be placed in the freezer for further storage or defrosted and consumed.
Although these mollusks are the closest relatives of mussels, they are many times more expensive. How to store oysters that were bought for future use and preserve their unique taste, which only gourmets can appreciate, until serving? In these days of food abundance, there is no need to go to France to taste fresh oysters; they are sold in all major supermarkets. But storing oysters after purchase is a more difficult task than selecting and serving them.
The most important things about storing oysters
On ice, oysters can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 5-7 days.
Re-freezing oysters is strictly prohibited.
How to choose the freshest oysters
These mollusks are classified as delicacies, as they are obtained from the sea, and such work is not cheap. Of course, the freshest oysters are those that were caught in front of you, at an oyster farm, and served with a glass of champagne and half a lemon.
It takes at least a day, maybe more, for an oyster to travel from where it was caught to the supermarket. Therefore, it would be useful to know what to look for when choosing in order to bring home a truly fresh delicacy.
It is best to buy oysters in specialized fish stores, if only because they are not considered daily consumption goods and can sit in a regular supermarket for weeks. There are general tips that will help you choose the most delicious and fresh oysters:
- the oyster shell must be closed - this is a sign that the mollusk is alive;
- the surface of the sink should be damp and have grains of sand;
- open the shell slightly - a live oyster will quickly close it;
- if the shell is slightly open, this is a sign that the oyster is not alive;
- oysters can be sold fresh and without shells, in which case they are in a container with marinade;
- if you knock the shells against each other, a sound will appear, like when tapping stones, this is a sign of living oysters;
- the most delicious shellfish are the smallest in size;
- the average size of mollusks is from 5 to 15 centimeters;
- the body of a good oyster is always transparent;
- during the active breeding season (summer), mollusks are not very tasty;
- The packaging must contain information about where the oysters were caught and when.
But since many of our sellers have long learned to deceive the buyer, you should know how to determine that an oyster has already spoiled. This is important not only from the point of view of saving money, but also because seafood poisoning is one of the most serious. For security purposes about your wallet and health, you should know:
- You should absolutely not buy oysters with their shells slightly open;
- good shellfish are not sold in containers, but exclusively on ice;
- if the body of the mollusk is cloudy or white, this is a sign of spoilage.
You can also find oysters on sale that unscrupulous sellers “helped” close again. To do this, they use a special solution that holds the doors together. You can check this like this: the surface of the sink will be dry, but if it is wet and you are not sure, it is better not to buy an expensive delicacy in markets and other untested places. Juice flows out of an already opened oyster; you can check this by weighing the shell, but the difference is insignificant and is not noticeable to the buyer.
How to properly store oysters
It is considered correct to buy shellfish immediately before serving, but if you will be eating oysters later, you should know how to store them after purchase. If there are grains of sand and algae left on the shells, you can clean them with an old toothbrush, but real gourmets say that it is better to serve them unwashed - this way the naturalness of the delicacy is preserved.
The best option for storing live shellfish is regular ice. Freeze ice packs for cocktails in advance and place them in a separate bowl. Place oysters on top and store in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours. Ice will not melt quickly if you set the temperature in the chamber to +2°C. If you periodically change the ice, the shelf life of oysters will increase to 5-7 days.
If you can't make ice, you can wrap the clams in a towel soaked in ice water. The period for which oysters are stored in the refrigerator in this form before serving is no more than 3 days at a temperature not exceeding +3°C.
You can also place the oysters on something frozen from the freezer, such as a piece of meat. In the refrigerator, at a temperature no higher than +5°C, the meat will defrost for a long time and you can thus store the oysters fresh and very cold for up to 2 days, after which you can make ice and continue storage using one of the methods described above.
The methods can be combined - oysters will be stored even better on ice, in a towel or frozen, since it is important to keep them as cold as possible.
Important: You should periodically check for open shells among the oysters. No matter how correct the storage period and conditions are, it is difficult not to avoid the fact that individual mollusks may die. Storing live oysters in a bag is strictly prohibited - they must have constant access to fresh air, otherwise all the shellfish will quickly deteriorate and the shells will open. This is the most important point about how to store oysters in their shells, which should always be remembered.
Therefore, you should carefully go through all the shells and throw away the open ones. It is strictly forbidden to eat dead shellfish to avoid severe poisoning. The storage conditions for oysters cannot be changed, since they remain alive for a long time only at low temperatures. Therefore, they should be stored in only one chosen way - either in the refrigerator or in the freezer, which we will discuss below.
It is best to store oysters in the refrigerator on the top shelf, and choose the storage method yourself. Although these mollusks live in warm waters, they need to be stored fresh only at a temperature no higher than +3°C and no longer than 7 days. But another storage method cannot be ruled out.
How to store shucked oysters
Like any other shellfish, oysters can be stored cleaned. If you are not serving them the traditional way, you can carefully remove the oysters from their shells along with their juices.
After this, you need to put them in a container and put it on ice or wrap it in a towel dipped in ice water.
The shelf life of oysters without shell is short and lasts up to 3 days.
Carefully check the appearance of the shellfish - if they turn white, it means it’s time to throw them away; eating such oysters is strictly prohibited.
However, gourmets claim that the taste deteriorates after just 6 hours, so it is better to freeze cleaned and uneaten oysters.
How to store frozen oysters
One of the popular ways to store oysters at home is freezing. After defrosting, this delicacy loses its taste, so defrosted oysters are not eaten raw. Freezing shelled oysters is easy - to do this, you need to put them on a plate and wrap the top tightly with cling film and a bag.
Store in the freezer for no longer than 30 days at temperatures from -18°C...-21°C. They should be defrosted in the refrigerator, and then checked for quality - they should all be transparent.
If you want to store closed oysters for future use, then you will need a special container with ice. Ice is poured onto the bottom, after which the shellfish are laid out and frozen.
The shelf life of oysters frozen in shells is no more than 3 months at temperatures from -18°C..-21°C. Before serving, oysters should be kept in the refrigerator until completely defrosted, at least 3 hours, and then served.
This product cannot be re-frozen.
How to store canned oysters
Like many other seafood, these shellfish are sold ready-to-eat. They taste like mussels, and you can use them in recipes in the same way as their less expensive relatives.
The terms and conditions for storing canned oysters are indicated on the can, so they must be followed strictly. The place where to properly store closed jars of oysters is a pantry or a shelf in a kitchen cabinet; the shelf life is about 6 months, at a temperature not exceeding +20°C, or as specified by the manufacturer.
It is important, after opening the tin, to transfer the oysters into a glass container and ensure that they are covered with brine.
You can also store canned oysters in the freezer; to do this, they need to be transferred to a plastic container. Store for 3 months at a temperature of 18°C...-21°C.
The period for which opened canned oysters can be stored at home is no longer than 36 hours at a temperature not exceeding +7°C.
How to store cooked oysters
Ready-made shellfish in the marinade can be stored in the refrigerator, in a glass container, for up to 7 days at a temperature no higher than +7°C. To do this, you need to boil them and put them in a clean, dry jar, pour in olive oil and close the lid tightly. This is the best way to store already cooked seafood.
Ready-made salads with oysters do not have a long shelf life, and the period for which they can be stored is up to 6 hours from the moment of preparation, at a temperature not exceeding +7°C.
Oysters are highly valued in cooking all over the world; they are more popular than any other shellfish, and are also much more expensive. We've put together some helpful tips for preparing and cooking oysters.
Tip 1: Oysters in nature are found in shells, which are quite problematic to open. Before carrying out any manipulations with shellfish, first of all, you need to wash them thoroughly using a sponge. This way you will clean the shell of sand, algae, and bacteria.
When buying oysters, do not forget to smell them in order to determine the degree of freshness of the delicacy. The mollusk must only be alive! The smell should be moderate, marine, and any other unpleasant or foreign aromas should alert you. It’s better to ignore such a product - health is more expensive!
Chefs use special knives for oysters, which they use to carefully and aesthetically open them. In this video you can see how to open oysters correctly.
Tip 2: Oysters Rockefeller style
This dish is served in expensive and respectable restaurants around the world. For 4 large oysters we will need:
- approximately 60 gr. butter;
- 1 large clove of garlic (you can also take a small shallot);
- several feathers of green onions;
- a large handful of fresh parsley;
- a handful of fresh spinach;
- salt;
- ground white pepper;
- quarter tsp hot Tabasco sauce;
- 1.5 tbsp. crushed crackers;
- ½ tsp. pineapple liqueur.
Preparation: Remove the oysters from the refrigerator in advance; they need to be at room temperature. To drain excess water from the clams, place them in a colander. We clean the shells of live oysters from sand and debris. Let's open them.
Preheat the oven to 230 degrees, place the oysters on a baking sheet. Chop all the greens very, very finely. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add chopped garlic, then add the herbs, simmer and stir constantly.
Add liqueur, salt, pepper and crackers. Warm it all together for another 2-3 minutes. Spread the green mixture evenly between and on top of the oysters. Place slightly crumpled foil on a baking sheet so that the shells can stand firmly on it. Place all this beauty in the oven for 10 minutes or cook until the liquid around the clam begins to boil.
Serve the dish immediately. Some recipes suggest sprinkling the oysters with grated Parmesan, but that's up to you.
Tip 3: Grilled Oysters with Butter
We will need a grill, fresh oysters, butter, garlic, Parmesan, dried meat. A simple and very tasty recipe.
Preheat the grill over medium heat. Meanwhile, we clean fresh oysters and open them, leaving the clam meat on half the shell. Place on the grill.
Meanwhile, quickly heat the butter with crushed garlic. Immediately pour melted butter over the oyster shells. Cook them over the fire until the liquid in the oyster boils.
Place the baked oysters on a plate, grate with Parmesan, add a few drops of hot sauce and a couple of pieces of jerky to the shell. The dish is ready!
Tip 4: Classic oyster recipe
You need fresh and definitely live oysters. We wash them thoroughly with a brush. Carefully open them with a special knife. Place the shell halves with meat on a plate filled with ice cubes. Let's make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix good ketchup and white horseradish. Place the sauce directly in a bowl on a plate with ice. Add a few drops of Tabasco directly onto each oyster. Be sure to drizzle the oysters with a few drops of fresh lime juice as well. Serve immediately. 
