The One Oyster Rule You Should Know In The Grocery Store

Inside every oyster shell is a treasure — and we're not talking about pearls. Light, briny, savory, and tender, the meat itself is an edible gem. Whether served raw on the half shell, baked in the form of a ritzy oysters Rockefeller, or fired up on the grill with butter à la Ina Garten, the salty shellfish is sure to bring a sense of luxury to any meal –- given that you've started with a quality batch, that is.

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When you're browsing the market for mollusks, you may keep an eye out for the largest and most robust bunch of bivalves on offer thinking that they're the best. But that's an all too common oyster mistake. If there's one rule to remember when buying oysters, it's this: Just as you should not judge the quality of a book by its cover, you should not judge the quality of an oyster by the circumference of its shell. As Roberta Muir, the foodie, educator, and cookbook author behind Be Inspired, confirms to Tasting Table, "The size of the oyster isn't an indication of quality — just of the species and how old the oyster was at harvest." Indeed, with many different types of oysters out there, you'll find delicious options both big and small. And if you were to completely write off some types simply due to their size or weight, you'd miss out on a whole spectrum of flavorful variations.

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What you should actually look for in a quality oyster

If size does have any bearing on your choice of oysters, though, it should come down to personal preference or how you plan on preparing them. Roberta Muir, for one, says, "I prefer smaller oysters to eat raw and larger oysters if I plan to cook them." It's true that larger options can be meatier and have a stronger flavor that stands up better to cooking, but still, that doesn't necessarily translate to better "quality."

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What you should really be judging your oysters on is freshness. Rather than size, you'll want to search for some other key indicators of quality, starting with the appearance of the shells. Fresh oysters should have clean and crisp-looking shells, free of any cracks or damage. To that end, they should also be tightly closed. Next up is the smell test. A good batch of bivalves should have a neutral but slightly mineral-y scent, like the ocean but not like a fish. If you catch a whiff of any funky odors, move on to the next ones. Of course, you'll also want to consider the harvest date, which should be listed somewhere on the store's signage. The more recent the harvest date, the better.

And lastly, when in doubt, check the price. "Price can be an indicator of quality as the best oysters tend to cost more," Muir adds. If you want to ensure you're getting the best shuck for your buck, the pricier oyster options are usually going to be worth the splurge.

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