How do I get into Oysters?
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@Lizb How long to cook it?
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@Lovesickhs18
If you want to try them fresh, I'd say buy fresh ones in the supermarket if you can get them. A lot cheaper than at a restaurant, and shucking them is fairly easy with an oyster knife!
But buying them at a restaurant is nice too, or at a fancy market or something. I don't know about the varieties you have access too, but I think the best ones to try are ones with soft -not metallic or 'sharp'- flavors. Normandic, Zeelandic, and many other varieties have that flavor profile. At a restaurant I would ask which ones are soft in flavor and get like 4, and more if you like it. Also, don't be afraid to chew them! With good ones IMO it's mandatory,
Currently they're too expensive for me, even at the supermarket - I only buy those around new years or when they're expired, since it's easy to spot spoiled ones- so I buy them in a can from the Asian store and have them in a variety of dishes. Either a soup with my broth, fried up with some zucchinis and worcestershire sauce, or with all the above and some sweet potato noodles (except when I'm in a period of avoiding starches).
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@Lizb said in How do I get into Oysters?:
I buy fresh oysters. Put them in the microwave so that they open easily. Pull the oyster out of the shell, cook with a little butter and freeze them individually in an ice cube tray.
I then use them in soups.
Can't stand them uncooked.
What the fuck? At least make a gratin or something. I got PTSD from reading this post.
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I love a good oyster. I always find them best fresh, off the half-shell. Some people grill them with garlic butter or similar - that's fine, though I don't entirely understand why oysters need any interference. I mostly buy them at restaurants, but they are not difficult to buy and shuck yourself (and if you eat a lot, much cheaper). Freshness is, as with all other things, paramount.
If you are just getting into oysters I would advise going to a restaurant and ordering a variety of oysters, ideally accompanied by a friend who will eat the remainder if you don't like them. The difference in the US between an East and West coast oyster (or even a California and Washington oyster) is quite substantial and some may suit your taste better. Serve with lemon, mignonette, and champagne. -
@CO3 Please guys, I don't want to get sick LOL
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@Kilgore approximately a couple of minutes. They'll get a bit of a cooking in the soup of course. I put them in the soup just until they're heated through - that's just before I blend the soup.
I really dislike the texture so only eat them in a soup that I have liquidised with a stick blender.
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The last ones i prepared were the canned in water type.
Dumped their water, light rinse, cut into strips, then used as a "meat" to add to a potato broth. The strips were added after the broth was already cooked and as soon as the fire was turned off.
There's obviously an infinite number of ways to prepare and serve the above as a base for different recipes. It's also a great way to hide finely cut bits of calf liver which need very little cooking time, use only a little bit and add at the very end.
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Where do you live? @Lovesickhs18 If you are near a restaurant that flies in fresh oysters daily go there and order them raw with all the accompaniments. East coast (PEI) are the best in the world.
You could shuck them yourself at home but that’s an acquired skill and grocery stores don’t sell the same grade of oysters as restaurants. There’s absolutely no comparison between a fresh oyster vs canned or cooked.
-- someone from the East coast
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@ilovethesea Sorry for the long reply. I live on the west coast. I'm going to try to drive all the way to SF for some oysters. Dunno any good restaurants but I'll make do.
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@Lovesickhs18 Excited for you
