Best fish in town!

Sydney Fish Market

An allday-life report.
Read this Blog!

Twice!

Experts recommend Seafood twice a week!

Pacific Oyster

Where Caught

Found
Found and caught

Map of Australia showing where Pacific Oyster are found and caught.

When Caught

Year round, but supply variable between states. Supply of Sydney rock oysters peaks from January through March when they are in peak (ripe) breeding condition.

Important Features

Wild/Farmed: Wild and Farmed
Habitat: Saltwater and estuarine
Recovery Rate: Flesh: 20 40% from half-shell, The recovery rate varies with the size and age of the oysters.

Pacific Oyster Research

FRDC provides a comprehensive search of the latest research papers and images on Pacific Oyster

Remarks

The shape of oyster shells (valves) is influenced strongly by the surrounding environment, often making identification difficult.

A small but expanding market exists for the adductor muscle meat of the pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima).

Imports

New Zealand:: chilled in the half-shell
Many countries:: frozen

Overseas Names

D: Auster; J: magaki; USA: Japanese oyster, Pacific giant oyster

Alternatives

mussel

Grading

Grading can vary by supplier and region. Examples of grading systems for oysters are presented below.

Pacific oyster

(usually graded by shell length):

Sydney rock oyster

(usually graded by weight):

Larger Sydney rock oysters may also be available bottled.

Oysters are sometimes graded by the number per standard box.

Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas

Photograph by CSIRO

Nutrition Facts

per 100g of raw product

Kilojoules	378 (90 Calories)
Cholesterol	27 mg
Sodium	106 mg
Total fat (oil)	1.0 g
Saturated fat	30% of total fat
Monounsaturated fat	13% of total fat
Polyunsaturated fat	57% of total fat
Omega-3, EPA	136 mg
Omega-3, DHA	142 mg
Omega-6, AA	30 mg

Data presented are for Pacific oyster.

Cooking Ideas

Bake	Boil	Deep Fry
Grill/barbecue	Poach	Raw
Roe	Roe & Milk	Salted
Shallow Fry	Smoke	Steam/microwave

Note: Cooking Ideas identified by dark bold text are relevant to this species

Oysters have a strong, rich and distinctive flavour and a soft, silky texture. They are often served raw, but deep frying, shallow frying and grilling are also popular. Pacific oysters are particularly good in pies.

The key to not overcooking oysters is to ensure that cooking stops as soon as the edges of the meat start to curl.

Raw or au naturel oyster can create precious portions such as: with lemon juice and cracked pepper; topped with tabasco sauce, tomato, garlic and cream; in the famous Bloody Mary tomato juice spiced with vodka; swimming in a sauce of lime, ginger and shallots; or Stuart Prosser's tartare, which incorporates horseradish and creme fraeche.

Grilled oysters can be tantalisingly topped with: the traditional Kilpatrick; fresh herbs and breadcrumbs; or balsamic vinegar and roasted capsicum.

Deep fried oysters in batter can be served with basil, aioli or spicy soy dressings (an appetising additive to warm salads).

Alternatively, try blending oysters with bechamel and serve in bread or pastry cups for hors doeuvres, or include them in soups and bisques.

Bottled oysters can be used in cooked dishes such as soups, terrines and braised dishes.

Flavour: Strong
Oiliness: Low to Medium
Moisture: Moist
Texture: Soft
Flesh Colour: Off-white (sometimes with tinges of green) when raw and brownish grey when cooked
Price: Oysters are medium-priced molluscs. Plate-grade oysters generally attract higher prices than bottle oysters.
Edibility: Flesh: the entire animal inside the shell

Suggested Wines

The classic accompaniment to natural oysters is a racy sauvignon blanc, one with light texture, herbaceous flavours and that racy acidity to settle the aromatic characters that oysters possess.

In this Section