Oyster Question

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that
what it is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the
oyster. Are you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse
them? Thanks, Diane

N, no, and no.

Ken.

One time on Usenet said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are you
suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them?

Rinse yes, mangle, no. Anything that difficult to remove probably
belongs there:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image%3AOyster%28L%29.jpg

http://www.crawfish.cc/images/oystersonhalfshell.jpg

Here's my family's method of cooking oysters:

Pan Fried Oysters

1 pint shelled oysters, small
Seasoned flour
Butter
Milk (about 1 cup)
*Hot* Water in 1 quart saucepan

Dip oysters, one at a time, in hot water and hold for 15
seconds or so, then in cold milk. Dredge in flour, fry slowly
in melted butter in large saucepan over medium heat, until
brown.

Wish I wasn't the only person in the house that likes them,
sounds good on a hot afternoon...

--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, VidGamer, novice cook, dieter ~

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are you
suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

They're ready to eat as they are. No further handling necessary. I don't
rinse because the juices - "liquor" - contributes to the flavor.

Pastorio

"LDL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Jack Schidt® said:

"LDL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that whatit
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Canned is good if they're smoked, otherwise they're good to go in the
trash. You want oysters fresh shucked... flash frozen is fine for
cooking.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm still curious about the dark stuff
though. Diane

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Jack Schidt® said:

"LDL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what
it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Canned is good if they're smoked, otherwise they're good to go in the
trash. You want oysters fresh shucked... flash frozen is fine for
cooking.

LDL said:

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm still curious about the dark stuff
though. Diane

Probably the stomach... nothing in there you can't eat, in fact very
nutritious. Except for the shells no portion of bivalves is inedible
(in fact if you gind them up you can eat the shells too... people spend
a lot of money on tablets of powdered bivalve shell). If you find
yourself needing to hack away particular parts perhaps bivalves are not
for you... try eating without looking.

There are many sites on the net pertaining to oysters, search <oyster
anatomy>.

http://www.assateague.com/nt-bival.html

Sheldon

In article said:

Thank you everyone for the replies. I'm still curious about the dark stuff
though. Diane

So are most of the world's astronomers.

[Okay, okay... That was a bit out of left field. :-) So for penance
I've posted an ObRecipe separately -- see "Borlotti brew" thread.]

Quoted message said:

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Jack Schidt® said:

"LDL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what
it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Canned is good if they're smoked, otherwise they're good to go in the
trash. You want oysters fresh shucked... flash frozen is fine for
cooking.

Cheers, Phred.

--
[email hidden]

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Jack Schidt® said:

"LDL" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what
it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Canned is good if they're smoked, otherwise they're good to go in the
trash. You want oysters fresh shucked... flash frozen is fine for
cooking.

Yeah, you and I know that, living close to erster central, but to the
prairie dweller, it's canned or fedex.

Jack du Schell

Jack Schidt® said:

"Sheldon" wrote:

Jack Schidt® said:

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what
it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

It's in a can/jar, it's good to go.

Jack Rockefeller

Canned is good if they're smoked, otherwise they're good to go in the
trash. You want oysters fresh shucked... flash frozen is fine for
cooking.

Yeah, you and I know that, living close to erster central, but to the
prairie dweller, it's canned or fedex.

Jack du Schell

Years ago I'd use frozen clams and oysters as surf casting bait.

I'm suprised that freshly shucked flash frozen bivalves are not
available everywhere, even in the bible-thumper belt. Flash frozen
clams and oyster are often better than so-called fresh... they're taken
by State licenced baymen, from State approved waters, carefully
inspected, and processed within a couple hours by professionals. I'm
positive if one were to check they'd find them readily available at
restaurant supply emporiums, and many will sell retail. Living on Lung
Guyland with fish mongers on nearly every corner I still much prefered
flash frozen for cooking, they're fresher, cleaner, and much simpler to
deal with. Naturally if you weren't a tourist you'd know which seafood
bars to frequent for live shell slurping. And in nearly every
neighborhood there'd be a baymen or three who'd sell a bushel by
appointment, meaning once his contracts with local restaurants were met
he'd phone from a list for immediate COD, meaning there were times I'd
have a ice filled chest at the ready from the night before to race down
to a pier on The Great South Bay with green money in hand.

Btw, I read an article in Long Island Newsday recently that said only
1.7 million bushels of oysters were taken from The Great South Bay last
year... that's a tremendous drop from years past, when there were so
many oysters taken that most all roads around the Long Island fishing
communities were paved with their shells.

Sheldon

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Btw, I read an article in Long Island Newsday recently that said only
1.7 million bushels of oysters were taken from The Great South Bay last
year... that's a tremendous drop from years past, when there were so
many oysters taken that most all roads around the Long Island fishing
communities were paved with their shells.

I'd read that, too. You know that the Mohegans have given up their oyster
farming in the sound, right? I dunno, I'd sampled them at the Oyster Bar at
GCT, no less, and they weren't all that great anyway. Not bad, just not all
that flavorful.

Jack Pearl

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are you
suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

you can eat everything Diane, it's Oyster! I would recommend cooking
it though...raw Oysters if taken from contaminated waters can have
harmful bacteria that can make you sick if you do not cook the
Oysters.

Bill

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you
suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

you can eat everything Diane, it's Oyster! I would recommend cooking
it though...raw Oysters if taken from contaminated waters can have
harmful bacteria that can make you sick if you do not cook the
Oysters.

Bill

Yeah, but good raw oysters are one of the Great Things. Worth a risk now and
then, me thinks.

--
Peter Aitken

Peter Aitken said:

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

LDL said:

In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers (already
shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about the dark, soft
"stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the oyster's waste. Is that what it
is? I try to remove it but it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are
you
suppose to remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

you can eat everything Diane, it's Oyster! I would recommend cooking
it though...raw Oysters if taken from contaminated waters can have
harmful bacteria that can make you sick if you do not cook the
Oysters.

Bill

Yeah, but good raw oysters are one of the Great Things. Worth a risk now and
then, me thinks.

You mean *live* oysters... raw oysters can be found in a jar, they
SUCK. Idiot, you!

Sheldon said:

Peter Aitken said:

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 13:28:20 -0500, "LDL" <[email hidden]>
wrote:

> In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers
> (already shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about
> the dark, soft "stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the
> oyster's waste. Is that what it is? I try to remove it but
> it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are you suppose to
> remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane

you can eat everything Diane, it's Oyster! I would recommend
cooking it though...raw Oysters if taken from contaminated waters
can have harmful bacteria that can make you sick if you do not
cook the Oysters.

Bill

Yeah, but good raw oysters are one of the Great Things. Worth a
risk now and then, me thinks.

You mean *live* oysters... raw oysters can be found in a jar, they
SUCK. Idiot, you!

Feel the love...

Pastorio

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon said:

Peter Aitken said:

"Bill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

> On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 13:28:20 -0500, "LDL" <[email hidden]>
> wrote:
>
>
>> In the Midwest we can usually only find oysters in containers
>> (already shucked). They are pasteurized. My question is about
>> the dark, soft "stuff" on the oyster. It looks like the
>> oyster's waste. Is that what it is? I try to remove it but
>> it's difficult and mangles the oyster. Are you suppose to
>> remove it? Are you suppose to rinse them? Thanks, Diane
>
> you can eat everything Diane, it's Oyster! I would recommend
> cooking it though...raw Oysters if taken from contaminated waters
> can have harmful bacteria that can make you sick if you do not
> cook the Oysters.
>
> Bill

Yeah, but good raw oysters are one of the Great Things. Worth a
risk now and then, me thinks.

You mean *live* oysters... raw oysters can be found in a jar, they SUCK.
Idiot, you!

Feel the love...

Pastorio

It's telling. I have made it very clear that I have had sheldoon killfiled
for several years now - yet he still responds to me. What a brain!

--
Peter Aitken