Cover the oysters with a damp paper towel or damp cloth and place them in the fridge. They should keep for up to seven days like this, but it's best to eat them within a day or two. Storing shucked oysters: You can store shucked raw oysters in the fridge for four to five days.
How long do your shucked oysters last? Shucked oysters will have a good-through date. If they go past this date, you'll want to discard them. Shucked oysters typically have a 10-14 day refrigerated shelf life upon receipt.
So to once again answer the question, yes, oysters are alive when eaten immediately after being shucked. And the truth is, we wouldn't have it any other way! The amazing flavors of raw oysters and the overall experience of eating raw oysters is something that you must try.
Open (shuck) shortly before serving – not more than 2 hours. The colder the oyster, the easier it is to shuck. Keep oysters cold at all times, partly for safety and very much to enhance flavor and texture.
Then, shuck and eat the oysters within 2 days. If your oysters are already shucked or you need to store them for more than 2 days, place them in the freezer until you're ready to use them.
Keeping them as cold as possible will keep them fresh. "Otherwise, they'll spoil and smell, and it'll be a bad situation," says Perry. It doesn't matter if you're cooking them or serving them raw—keeping them cozy with a bag of ice is your best bet.
If not consumed within 5 days, please shuck them and then it's possible to store them for another 2-3 days in the fridge in a sealed container with their water. If you would like to freeze your Oysters you must first shuck them. They can then be frozen in regular freezer bags.
To clean, place oysters in a colander in a sink and rinse under cold running water. If you can, cover them with crushed ice while shaking them under the running water. This will keep them colder and the ice will help clean away any dirt. If necessary, scrub off any mud and debris with a scrub brush.
When properly cared for live oysters will live in your refrigerator for 10 to 21 days. Are they alive? When oysters are dead in their shells they are no longer suitable to eat. To see if your oysters are alive, the shell should be closed or close when tapped lightly.
FYI: we don't recommend eating previously shucked oysters (the kind we sell in a jar) raw. This isn't a health concern, it's a quality issue.
Once they come out of cold storage, the clock starts on you getting them back into cold storage. You have a max of two hours to accomplish this. After two hours, bacteria present in the oyster will start to multiply and the likelihood of something causing an illness will go up.
Whichever way you cook oysters, you'll know they're done when they start to open their shells. Then, let them cool and use a knife to carefully pry the shell open all the way and scoop out the oyster. You can dip it in butter sauce, cocktail sauce or just pop it in your mouth plain.
How many raw oysters can you eat in a day? You should only consume 3-6 raw oysters in a day. Oysters are nutrient-dense and low in calories; however, they are also high in cholesterol, which can concern some people. Overeating raw oysters has a high risk of food poisoning from Vibrio bacteria.
One of the most important steps in knowing how to prepare oysters includes cleaning them properly, which is especially true if you want to eat them raw. Scrub away dirt and debris from each oyster under cold running water to ensure they're completely clean.
Donate to a Shell Recycling Program
If you're eating a substantial number of oysters (or ordered one of our bulk CSA add ons), you may consider reaching out to an oyster shell recycling program.
We're often asked, “Are you supposed to chew oysters?” and we're here to tell you that despite what you may have heard, it's not recommended to swallow an oyster whole. Biting into the oyster allows flavorful juices to escape and enhances the overall savoring experience.
"To eat an oyster properly, tip the whole thing into your mouth straight from the shell and make sure to chew once or twice (it's okay to use a little fork if it doesn't come out first time).
Steamed Oysters
The trick with steaming shucked oysters is that they can over cook quickly, so keep a close eye on them. You're looking for steamed oysters that are still a little jiggly but not rubbery. Serve your steamed oysters with a hearty drizzle of lemon juice, cocktail sauce, melted butter, or hot sauce.
Consuming raw oysters poses a high risk. Chilled pre-shucked oysters for raw consumption are riskier due to their susceptibility to temperature abuse during transportation and the subsequent rapid bacterial growth. Thorough cooking can destroy the foodborne pathogens in oysters.
Unless they have been shucked and frozen, oysters should be alive when you buy and cook them. If the shell is tightly closed, it is still alive. If the shell is slightly open, it should close promptly when tapped. If the shell is open and does not close when tapped, throw it out.
Seek medical treatment immediately if the person is unable to tolerate oral fluids, if fever is present, if there is blood in the stool, or if other concerning symptoms develop. For all other cases of shellfish poisoning, seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
The illnesses of most concern from eating raw or undercooked oysters or clams are Vibrio infection, norovirus infection, and hepatitis A. See fact sheets for those diseases for more details. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pains, severe weakness.