If you look after your oysters they will be quite happy out of the water for about five days and they are much easier to look after than people think.
The benefit of buying your oysters from us is that your oysters are packed from our oyster tanks to order, they don't sit around or go from us to a wholesaler to a Fishmonger then to you, they are incredibly fresh to give you the most amount of time to enjoy them at their best.
At your earliest opportunity take the oysters out of the packaging and if they are in a box remove the lid and place a damp cloth over them. If they are in a net place them in a clean bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Place the oysters in a cool place in your home, this might be in your fridge, in a wine fridge or in your cellar if you have one.
Remember to check on your oysters and try not to leave it more than a couple of days before you eat them, make sure you keep the cloth covering them damp and the oysters cool and you will be fine.
How to look after oysters at home:
- Always keep the oysters stored with the curved (convex) side downwards. This helps to retain the fluid in the shell and keep them alive.
- Store the oysters in a deep bowl (to prevent leaks) and away from other open foods.
- Keep them cool (4°C - 8°C is good). Remember, these oysters are live so you don’t want to freeze them.
- Do not re-immerse oysters in water. They will have been properly purified at the Fishery and any further immersion risks re-contaminating them.