Oyster F.A .Q.

North Carolina oysters can vary in size, shape and flavor depending on where the oyster is from or what time of year it is harvested. Locals Seafood offers a large selection of cultivated oysters that are divided into two main categories; Select and Steamer. Select oysters will tend to be of medium to smaller size, and generally higher salinity and easier to open raw with a shucking knife. These are the best option for enjoying raw, but can certainly be consumed steamed, roasted or grilled if desired. Steamer oysters will be larger in size and best for cooked applications such as steaming, roasting or grilling. The meat will be larger as well as the shell size, and salinity can vary more from moderate to high. Regardless of size, all cultivated oysters at Locals Seafood are sold by the count, most commonly in dozen, 50 or 100 count bags. Some oysters can work for multiple applications so be sure to ask your fishmonger about the current selection of oysters. Below are some frequently asked questions by our customers at our markets.

"I'd like to buy a bushel of oysters, how much will that be?"

This is one of the most common questions at the market. To begin, we must start with the definition of a bushel, which historically is a defined measure of volume, but in modern times often a defined measure by weight for specific goods. It is most commonly used in agriculture to describe a unit of volume by weight of crops, all of which can change depending on the density of the crop. A bushel of potatoes is different from a bushel of wheat by weight, for example. In terms of oysters, it is generally accepted that a bushel of oysters is 60 pounds (roughly two 5-gallon buckets). This term is applied to wild caught oysters, not cultivated oysters. Wild caught oysters are very popular for oyster roasts or grilling due to how much cleaning would be necessary to use as a raw product.

All of our cultivated oysters are purchased from our oyster farmers in 100 count bags, of which can vary in weight from 15-30 pounds depending on the type and size of the oyster. If a customer is looking for a bushel of oysters for an oyster roast, the best recommendation is 150-200 count of our largest cultivated steaming oyster such as a Currituck Selects, Core Sounder XLs, or Grace Points.

"I'm having a party for X number of people, how many oysters should I buy?"

Is your party an oyster party or will there be other food?

Is everyone an oyster eater?

Is it a dinner party or a light cocktail hour?

For moderate to aggressive oyster eaters, consuming 2 dozen or more oysters in an evening would not be a difficult task. However, this does not describe your average holiday party attendant. If your event is an outdoor oyster roast of the jovial and festive nature, ample adult beverages provided to a large crowd of "oyster-heads", consider an average of 15-30 oysters budgeted per person.

"I'm having my party on Saturday afternoon, when is a good time to pick up my oysters?"

Select a pickup day closest to your event. Our team will provide ample ice and storage boxes for you to store oysters on a cool day. Overnight storage needs to be at 45F or below in a cooler or under refrigeration, and ideally in the range of 40-45 degrees F.

"I placed an oyster pre-order but I need to add more on my order, how do I do this?"

Orders at Locals Seafood are processed on a first-come first-served basis and therefore as long as the product is not spoken for, we can make changes to your order if available. Large increases the day of pickup may be difficult and a comparable oyster variety may have to be substituted.

"What do I do if I purchased too many oysters and I can't use them all up?"

Oysters have a very long shelf life and can in many cases be enjoyed well after a week after they are harvested, IF they are kept at the safe temperature range of 40-45F. Uncooked oysters can be shucked and kept frozen in their own liquid called oyster liquor. This will make a great use in an oyster stuffing, chowder or fried.

"Can you come to my house and shuck these oysters for me?"

Consult our catering events page for booking an oyster shucker or steamer.