Bluff Oysters, Frozen Half Shell
Oysters opened, set back on their own half shell and frozen flat, so a dozen can go from freezer to grill without anyone in the kitchen owning an oyster knife.
What It Is
Bluff oysters on the half shell, blast-frozen individually and packed a dozen to a tray. The meat is frozen in its own liquor inside the shell cup, which is what keeps it from drying out in the freezer.
Where It Comes From
Dredged in Foveaux Strait during the season, opened at Bluff and frozen the same day, which is the only way to have Strait oysters in September.
Specifications
| Species | Bluff oyster, Tiostrea chilensis |
| Form | Half shell, meat in place, frozen |
| Count | 12 per tray |
| Net weight | About 900 g per tray |
| Packing | Tray, film sealed, frozen |
State on Arrival
Hard frozen, each shell separate and loose in the tray. No ice glaze and no frost inside the film; frost means the tray has thawed and been refrozen somewhere in transit.
Storage and Thawing
Hold at -18 C or colder for up to 3 months. For grilling, cook from frozen: no thawing, straight under a hot grill. For raw service, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, in the tray, and eat the same day. Never thaw at room temperature.
Shelf Life and Delivery
Best within 3 months frozen. Shipped frozen with dry ice in an insulated liner; move it to the freezer on arrival.
How to Cook It
Frozen oysters are a cooking oyster, not a raw one, and they reward being treated as such.
- Grilled from frozen, a knob of garlic butter and 4 minutes under a hot grill until the butter foams.
- Kilpatrick bacon and Worcestershire, from frozen, 5 minutes.
- Baked spinach, cream and a little parmesan, 8 minutes at 200 C.
- Thawed raw refrigerator overnight, then dress exactly as you would a live one.
Allergen Information
Contains molluscs. Packed in a facility that also handles fish and crustaceans.