Beloved for their unique taste, delicate texture, and rich nutrient content, raw oysters are a delight to eat, especially on a warm summer day when you’re looking for a light and fresh treat. Like all seafood, oysters taste the best when they are fresh, but this can be tricky to identify if you aren’t very familiar with them. Here are some giveaways that raw oysters were recently farmed.

How to Determine Whether Oysters Are Fresh

1. Seawater Scent

Like other types of seafood, high-quality raw oysters carry only a light scent of the ocean. If they smell overwhelmingly fishy, like sulfur, or rotten, they are no longer fresh. 

2. Intact Shells

To maintain their flavor, oysters should be kept alive until they’re served. Most restaurants will shuck them for you, but if you have to do it yourself, check whether the shell is open or damaged in any way. If it is, the oyster is likely dead and should not be eaten. If the restaurant provided you with open shells, ask whether they just shucked them.

3. Glossy & Attached Meat

Raw oyster meat should be moist, plump, light gray, and glossy. If your oysters are dry, dark grey, brown, or pink, they are no longer fresh. Check that the meat is also attached to the shell rather than sliding around freely. If it’s loose, the oyster likely died before or shortly after it was caught, so it won’t taste like as fresh.

If you’re looking for fresh raw oysters in the Gulf Shores, AL area, stop by Papa Rocco’s. Since 1980, locals and visitors have loved this oyster bar and pizza place for its delicious dishes, welcoming atmosphere, affordable beers, and live music. Take a peek at their menu on their website and Yelp page, or call (251) 948-7262 to ask about their live entertainment.