Frozen Half-Shell Oysters

Briny, sweet and already opened, so the work is done before the box reaches your kitchen. The shell is the serving dish: grill it, bake it, or lay it on ice and hand it over with a wedge of lemon.

What It Is

Oysters shucked on the half shell, with the meat left sitting in its own liquor inside the bottom shell. The top shell is removed, so nothing has to be opened at home.

Where It Comes From

Farm-raised in cold coastal waters and harvested to order, then shucked and blast-frozen the same day. Cold water and a slow grow-out give a deeper shell and a fuller, firmer body.

Specifications

• Cut: half shell, shucked, meat in liquor
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Grading: sorted for even shell size
• Shell: deep, thick, intact, no chips
• Meat: plump, full-bodied, clear liquor

Condition on Arrival

Raw and frozen, each shell nested so they do not crush each other. Arrives in a sealed box with gel ice inside an insulated liner, hard frozen throughout.

Storage

Keep at -18 C or colder. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator, shell side down, so the liquor stays in the shell rather than running off. Cook or serve within 24 hours of thawing.

Shelf Life and Cold Chain

Best before 12 months from the production date on the box. Do not refreeze once thawed. Kept frozen from shucking to delivery.

How to Cook It

For a chilled serve, nest the shells in crushed ice with lemon and a grind of pepper. For garlic butter, top each oyster with softened garlic butter and parsley and grill until the edges bubble. For a baked version, cover with cheese and breadcrumb and bake at 220 C until golden. They also drop straight into a hot pot or a seafood stew in the last two minutes of cooking. If you prefer them cooked through, take them to the point where the meat turns opaque at the edges.

Allergens and Compliance

Contains molluscs. Packed in a facility that also handles fish and crustaceans. Not suitable for anyone with a shellfish allergy. This is a food product and no health, medical or nutritional claim is made for it.