Last Of The Oysters For This Season? Or Is It?

The "Vitamin Sea" returns to her home port with a load of freshly harvested oysters from
the James River in southeastern Virginia. (click to enlarge)

For 50 years I've heard it told that it is only safe to eat oysters in months containing an "R."  That would make eating oysters okay from September through April.  As of tomorrow April is over.  If true, that means no oysters in May, June, July or August.  It that right?  I didn't know if this statement is still true so I did a bit of digging and this is what I found.

I've copied and pasted a few paragraphs from the American Mussel Harvesters website.  Here is what they have to say about it.

"There is an inaccurate myth that has been spread around over the years stating oysters are only safe to eat during months containing an "R". September- April is the range; these months encompass the colder times of the year; therefore, oysters will be safe to eat raw during the winter season.

There is some deep-seated wisdom in that statement, especially when thinking about times before refrigeration. Throughout the years, wild oyster populations have sustained hungry humans with no money to buy food.

Before the 1900’s there was no way to keep oysters cold after you harvested them, so they were subjected to the elements and if kept out in the sun too long would surely spoil. That is one of the reasons why oyster cellars were the hot spots in the 1800’s for the tasty bivalves to be consumed. They were darker and cooler than an above ground restaurant, so slightly better conditions to hold shellfish. Another way our oyster loving forefathers got around the lack of refrigeration was a variety of preparations that would cook out anything harmful but leave the salty savory protein rich meats. These recipes included soups, casseroles, and pickling.

In our modern world there are strict practices that require ice and refrigeration at all times of the year and completely dissolve the myth that oysters can only be eaten raw during months with an "R". Any facility with the license to sell oysters will require an approved HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) plan that specifically tells them how to safely distribute shellfish. It is always important to know safe handling practices after you purchase the fresh oysters and always keep them cold. However, if you can manage a cooler and some ice, it is safe to bring them to your Fourth of July party on the beach, a Memorial Day BBQ in the back yard, or a birthday party in mid-August. There is nothing better than some cold refreshing Beaver Tail oysters, and a pint of beer on a hot summer day."

So enjoy your oysters all year 'round.  As for me, an oyster will never pass through my lips!  Just sayin'.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

All content on this blog is © 2013-2024 Dennis A. Mook. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution. Permission may be granted for commercial use. Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.