🇳🇿 New Zealander Cuisine

Bluff Oysters

Raw Bluff Oysters on the Half Shell

Prep Time 15 min
Servings 2
Difficulty Easy
Calories 100 kcal

Prized wild oysters from Foveaux Strait served raw on the half shell with lemon juice, a seasonal delicacy from New Zealand's deep south.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1 Scrub oyster shells under cold running water to remove any debris. Keep oysters chilled on ice until ready to shuck.
  2. 2 Hold each oyster flat side up in a folded towel. Insert the oyster knife at the hinge and twist firmly to pop the shell open.
  3. 3 Slide the knife along the top shell to sever the muscle. Remove the top shell carefully, keeping the oyster and its liquor in the bottom shell.
  4. 4 Check each oyster for shell fragments and ensure it smells fresh and briny. Arrange on a bed of crushed ice.
  5. 5 Serve immediately with lemon wedges, a crack of black pepper, and Tabasco on the side for those who want it.

Did You Know?

Bluff oysters are so prized that the annual Bluff Oyster and Food Festival sells out months in advance, drawing thousands to the tiny town of Bluff.