How to Buy Oysters Like a Pro

So you have this big romantic dinner planned at home with your love. And you’ve decided on the classic duo of oysters and Champagne. To which I say without a hint of sarcasm: good for you!

No, really. Now’s a good time to buy oysters and not just for their (supposed) libido-enhancing powers. So what do you need to know to make buying them a breeze?

I turned to Rowan Jacobsen, who wrote the book (two, actually) on oysters, and Steve LaHaie, senior vice president of Chicago’s venerable seafood restaurant Shaw's Crab House, for answers.

Coastal creatures

An oyster menu can look confusing with all those names, but it’s actually pretty simple. Oysters fall into five species: Eastern, Pacific, Kumamoto, Olympia, and European Flat (or Belon). The many varieties within each species take their names from the body of water from which they’re harvested: Wellfleet oysters from Wellfleet, Mass., Hama Hamas from Washington’s Hamma Hamma River and so on.

Most of the oysters we eat in the US—90 percent, said LaHaie—are Eastern oysters, harvested from the upper Atlantic coast on down to the Gulf, and Pacific oysters from, you guessed it, the West Coast.

The Eastern ones tend to taste briny, while Pacific oysters are crisp and sweeter, “almost cucumber-y,” LaHaie said.

Of the three other species, the small, sweet Kumamoto is most popular. The Olympia is a small, slow-growing West Coast oyster that’s hard to come by (but fantastic if you can get it). European Flats, native to France, are strong-flavored and an even rarer sight.

Farmed fact

The wild oyster does exist but the reality is, almost all oysters are farmed. And that’s ok—better, actually.

Oysters are filter feeders, pumping water through their bodies as they nibble on plankton and other bits of the sea. They need only seawater and the water needs them, so farming them makes sense. And besides, said Jacobsen, wild oysters don’t taste as good as farmed.

Grilled Pop-Up Oysters

Gabriela Herman

Open season

The rule about only eating oysters in the months that have an R? You can forget that—mostly. That was the case back before refrigeration, but these days oysters are fine to buy year-round, Jacobsen said.

That said, there is a time of year when they taste their very best, and that is late fall into winter. Their biology dictates it. Oysters eat algae, starting in the spring when the water starts to warm, and they stop chowing down, essentially going into hibernation, in winter when the water gets too cold.

So that period from November to January, when the oysters have stuffed themselves to their plump, crunchy best and the water’s cold but not freezing... that’s the sweet spot, Jacobsen and LaHaie agree. Right now’s the second best time.

Where to shop

Oysters sold at retail have been out of the water for up to a few weeks. No need to panic. They can last that long, Jacobsen said. But the less time out of water, the better.

So find a reputable market with good turnover. The oysters should be on ice in the store. They should have a fresh-off-the-coastline smell and should feel heavy for their size, which means they’re full of their liquor, the natural juice that keeps them alive, Jacobsen said.

Gaping shells or a hollow sound when you tap them—those are red flags.

It’s easy to find out how fresh they are. Just ask. Retailers are required by law to have tags with the oysters’ harvest date, so ask to see them if you’re so compelled, Jacobsen said.

At home

Toss out any oysters with open shells and store the rest in the fridge.

For your sake and your date's, do not let them dry out. Putting them in a bowl covered with a plastic bag or wet towel works well, Jacobsen said. They’ll keep this way for at least a week.

“As long as an oyster’s shell is closed tight, it’s alive, meaning it’s good to go,” he said. Presumably, you’ll be as well.

Oysters with Champagne-Vinegar Mignonette

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