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Vtguy802812 t1_j20so4u wrote

Why would you ever fry fresh local oysters?

That’s like putting ketchup on Wagyu - it’s your money to burn, but feels like a waste to me.

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SwvellyBents t1_j221yzw wrote

I grow my own, stir them into my scrambled eggs for breaky, have fried them 1/2 dozen different ways (so far tempura is my favorite), love a good fried oyster po boy, toss back a few on the half at lunch time, for a snack or with beers at the end of the day and have enjoyed them grilled but that's probably my least favorite way. They add a boatload of flavor and texture to gumbo, paella and bouillabasse.

I add them to the turkey stuffing and and will plop some into the pot when making clam chowder. Regretably, I don't know how to make oyster stew.

I eat them naked, dosed with hot sauce or trad cocktail sauce, I don't much care for remoulade but don't castigate those that do.

In short, any way you eat a fresh local oyster is a good way.

Go ahead and limit yourself to raw on the half, but you are missing out on a lot of goodness.

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BurningPage t1_j24cuys wrote

Are you growing your own small batch?

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SwvellyBents t1_j25p5ts wrote

Kinda, I started a hobby farm about 6 years ago, set a goal of selling 5K oysters /year to pay for a winter vacation. By the third year when I had salable product covid hit which put the kibosh on my sales program. Next year health issues forced me to rethink the whole enchilada.

I wound up selling all my farming gear and dumping my remaining product in a good location to hopefully reseed the coastline and get some new oyster reefs growing.

Now, when the conditions are good I go out and grab a few dozen for my own consumption. I'm hoping there'll be wild oysters all over that area in a few years.

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JuliaNATFrolic t1_j21ij2v wrote

Ah. You have never sat on a deck on the outer Cape eating the most expensive and delicious fried oysters of your life. It is a once a decade kind of splurge. But oh my.

I’ve no restaurants to recommend. But I do support OP in their quest.

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Dude_Following_4432 OP t1_j21sc0v wrote

I like grilled and broiled oysters that are made from fresh, and I like fried clams made from fresh so why not oysters? I just had some Damariscotta River oysters tonight (raw) that were super salty and would be great cooked.

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sspif t1_j23tsbw wrote

Because oysters are excellent fried? Not everyone likes them raw.

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Vtguy802812 t1_j24dw7d wrote

The frying and battering process takes out a lot of the benefit of having fresh local oysters rather than a jar of oysters. There isn’t much of a reason that I can see to spend that much extra money when you’re not getting a benefit for it.

Some people might find it worth while, but to me it is similar to putting ketchup on a very high quality steak - sure, some enjoy it and have the money to burn, but what benefit do you get out of battering and frying fresh oysters vs oysters in a jar?

There are several brands of oysters in jars that maintain quality well above canned oysters for much less than fresh oysters. I’m a firm believer in fresh oysters raw or with a bit of smoke, jar for frying, and canned as a last resort if you’re going to make some sort of stew or baked dish. That’s just where my checkbook and taste buds meet though.

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