Oysters: When Common Shellfish Are Fattest, Their Nutrition, How to Eat Them, and Which Parts to Avoid

The oyster, known scientifically as Ostrea, is a common shellfish in the ocean, belonging to the family Ostreidae or the family Gryphaeidae, a bivalve mollusk, distributed in coastal waters of temperate and tropical oceans. So when are oysters fattest? How do you eat them for the most nutrition? Which part should not be eaten?

When are oysters fattest?

The period from the Winter Solstice to Qingming is the best time to eat oysters; during this time the oyster meat is plump and large, and the meat can be eaten raw. The most original way to eat them is to pry open the oysters attached to the rocks by the sea, pick out the meat and eat it raw, but those with a weak spleen should avoid this.

Every year from October to May of the following year is the fattest and most delicious season for Rushan oysters, and Weihai people who love seafood certainly will not miss this delicacy.

How do you eat oysters for the most nutrition?

1. Cold-dressed raw oysters

You often see oysters served cold-dressed in seafood restaurants; this dish is made and eaten by the most people especially in summer. If you make it at home, you only need to prepare some minced ginger, light soy sauce and vinegar. After cooking the oysters, sprinkle the seasonings evenly over them, let them absorb the flavor, and they are ready to eat.

2. Oysters fried with eggs

Oysters fried with eggs are also especially delicious, and when made together with fried eggs the protein content is relatively high. The method is also very simple: besides the main ingredients, just prepare some sweet potato starch and pepper. First wash the oysters, drain the water, then cook them, pour all the sweet potato starch over them, finally season with salt and so on, then put them directly into the pan to fry. When both sides are golden brown, they are ready to serve.

Oysters

3. Grilled oysters with minced garlic

Besides boiling, steaming and frying, oysters are also very delicious grilled, and the grilled meat is chewier. Before grilling the oysters, first pry them open, open all the shells, wash them clean with water, drain the water inside, then place the oyster meat on a baking tray to grill. You can brush a certain amount of cooking oil on the surface of the oysters to increase the smoothness, and when they are half cooked, sprinkle the minced garlic on their surface.

The above are three ways to eat oysters. Of course, the methods are not fixed; you can do it according to your own preferences. These are all relatively suited to some people's tastes, leaning toward stronger flavors; those who like mild flavors can try the steaming method.

Which parts of the oyster can be eaten?

Among shellfish, the oyster is the only one whose meat can be eaten 100% raw.

Oysters eaten raw have relatively high hygiene requirements. If the oysters are farmed in polluted sea areas, never mind eating them raw, even eating them cooked is unacceptable. No matter how long you heat, boil or grill oysters, contamination by heavy metals and shellfish toxins cannot be eliminated!