Oysters

mine from our fish monger -

the safeway says fresh - I’d give it a go . . .

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I just bought a 16 oz. jar like this to use for my Thanksgiving oyster dressing. $18.99. I live on Cape Cod, and we are rich with fresh oysters, but this is the way I buy oysters at Thanksgiving…

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Check to see if they have Minterbrook jarred oysters. This oyster farm is near me in the Puget Sound area, and their product is very good. Also recommended is Hood Canal Oysters. They are distributed to other states, but whether they have them at your Safeway, I don’t know. We have them at our local Safeway, and I do like the fact they come in different sizes. They’re refrigerator stable for at least a few weeks I think, but will deteriorate even if unopened, after time. Good luck.

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I agree w/Happy Onion - give 'em a try. Check for a ‘use by’ date and look at the product to see if it looks good and is a good size for your recipe.

The canned oysters are desperation worthy buys only. Just look in the refrigerated meat and fish cases for some in see thru glass or plastic containers. Is Safeway the only store you have?

WM here used to carry these:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hilton-Fresh-Hand-Shucked-Oysters-Extra-Small-16-oz/196531612

but don’t seem to have them any more.

I’m in Houston, 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, with several oyster houses supplying local fish markets and restaurants and this is what WM shipped in. I tried some; they were okay but I’d rather have had Gulf oysters. Also I’ve never had Pacific oysters on the half shell so I don’t know how they stack up.

I remember reading several years ago, after the BP oil well blow-out when the oyster population here was harmed, of some processor in Louisiana working on flash frozen oysters. Haven’t heard anything more but you might look online for developments.

Interesting that back “in the old days” fresh oysters were readily available in Placerville, even making it famous.
I guess it’s just diminished demand that precludes having a supply today,

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These jarred oysters are available at several levels and at supermarkets, fish markets and Asian markets. I’ve tried them from several sources and found them larger than I like, not consistent in size within the jar, usually fresh enough to not poison, friable, but given any other option, I go for it.

My mom has frozen blue point oysters for years. Cooked into dressing, they’re just fine.

Bribe friends from the Bay Area to bring you a cooler full of :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: :oyster: on their way to the slopes. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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I (technically) live “in the Bay Area” but I ship mine from here.

https://www.morrobayoysters.com/shop

Or here

Or here

Not a fan of bridges and parking. I do see fresh and pasteurized in an Asian market.

Looks like Oyster Island is shipping retail now too!

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Costco used to sell refrigerated jars of shucked oysters that were pretty good IIRC

Thanks everyone! I’m hesitant to buy the jarred ones. Not only are they too large, but my experience with oysters are “the fresher, the better”, logarithmically.

So I’ll hit up one of the Morro Bay shops and I should be able to throw this dish together for under a hundred bucks! (for a $16 restaurant starter - LOL).

Actually, at that price, I’ll bookmark this and come back to it another day when my craving becomes more severe. (c;

BTW… GIovanni’s also has calamari steaks which I have sorely missed since a local restaurant closed shop.

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Ha Ha… six dozen. It’s just me and the occasional girlfriend! And Giovanni’s requires a $300 order for free shipping!

I’m gonna figure out what I want from them up to ten pounds and pay the thirty bucks. But some I’ll want fresh, and others I’ll want frozen… so not sure how they would deal with that.

All six dozen were for me! Sign up for the email list so you will hear about the free shipping offers.

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For which site?

Hmmmm…I thought it was Giovanni’s and that it was free shipping in California that time, and I spent $189.00 according to a receipt around that time.

I thought it was in the link, but I guess not. I’m on the Island Creek list as well.

Island Creek seems to have offered free overnight shipping until 3 PM EST today !

ETA It was Giovanni’s.
A screenshot from a September email

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I am about to order a few dozen online. I’m wondering about any recent experience.

I’m hoping to include more info while I can still edit, but I wish I could save this as a draft before it’s "published ". I know I’ve stumbled on that option but can’t figure it out right now.

I’m choosing from

-50 oysters of the same variety with “free shipping” from Island Creek on the east coast

-A sampler with 3 uncertain west coast varieties, $40.00 shipping Hanna Hanna in Washington state.

-Grassy Bar from Giovanni in Central.

-Hog Island of the SF Bay Area, offering two varieties described as small or very small, but very local and lower shipping costs.

They all come to about $100.00, give or take $10.00.

I’m thinking a variety is better than 50 of the same, even if technically the shipping is less.

I may be eating these alone, or share them with someone who wants them cooked rather than raw.

First let me say I have zero experience ordering oysters online. I just wanted to mention that I think small oysters are way more versatile than large.

My favorite ways to eat are pan fried and some kind of Rockefeller-ish method on the half shell… and bite sized ones come out way better.

Good luck on your order and let us know how it went (and how good they are/were. (c;

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One more way, we have stunned guests with a starter of very lightly curried cauliflower soup topped with a crispy but juicy panko crusted fried oyster. Oh, yes…

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From the March 19th free shipping in California