Where do the oysters come from?
Every oyster bar in the city sources its oysters from the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Some serve Gulf Coast oysters alongside a variety of (inter)national selections. Most have only Gulf Coast oysters from a single area.
Area 3 is the most prevalent source of oysters for New Orleans. Places that source from P&J Oysters will generally receive oysters from Areas 11 to 13. Areas 4 and 5 make frequent, persistent appearances, but Area 3 dominates them. Other areas sporadically make their way into the market.
How many oysters do you shuck a day?
Oyster bars in New Orleans process between 500 and 2,500 oysters-per-shucker-per-shift. With a common range of 1,000 to 1,500. 2000+/- likes to show up seasonally (and stick around). 2500+/- means: “Twas Mardi Gras, and you were the only one shucking.” or any other reason with that ratio.
Do you get oysters delivered every day?
Most likely: “Yes.”
With a slight chance of: “Every other day.”
How many bushels are in a delivery?
We receive oysters in “mini-sacks” (35 to 50 lbs). Busy New Orleans oyster bars typically receive 50 to 100 sacks daily. Places with enough volume to keep one competent shucker busy, receive from 30 to 50 sacks every 2 days.
Have you ever injured yourself?
It would be unbelievable if I hadn’t. I’ve pointed a knife at my hand millions of times with force.
How often do you injure yourself?
Questions like this one, and the one before it, have a superstitious quality to them, and create a bad vibe.
Do you ever find pearls?
Yes. I find about 1 pearl for every 50,000 oysters I shuck. I tend to give them to my guests.
How do you know the oyster is bad?
I question how good the oyster is. If it’s not good, it’s bad.
What do you do with the shells?
Most oyster shells end up in the trash like regular waste. There is a coastal restoration project that provides collection bins, but they never supply enough. Restaurants that participate in the program still end up discarding a significant number of shells.
How often do you break your knife?
This question also has a superstitious quality. However, right here, without asking, you can learn the answer.
There’s no definitive answer. Depending on the knife and the oysters, a knife can last anywhere from years to just a few days. Some break immediately, while others hold up for the long haul. Dexter and Victorinox knives are usually reliable—until they aren’t.
Is your knife sharp?
Oyster knives have a point-like tip, but they aren’t sharp along the blade. Their main purpose is to pry. The sharpness of the blade is comparable to a butter knife.
How long have you been shucking?
The most encountered range of career-times for shuckers in New Orleans is between 1 and 4+ decades, with a follow-up of shuckers possessing 5 to 7 years of experience. Shuckers with career-time that is roundable to 2 decades, are very common.
What is the specialty?
Oysters—raw, fried or charbroiled.
Where is the best place to get oysters?
It depends on what you want. Since Area 3 dominates the market, the best raw oysters are wherever the best shuckers are. If you want Area 11 through 13, you need to find the places that source from P&J, and then determine which one has the best shuckers. Any place can have the best charbroiled oysters, depending on who is doing the judging and what they like. At it’s core, all oyster bars are using butter (substitute), garlic in some form, and a powdered cheese (like romano or parmesan), for their “butter”. Everywhere has some concoction of spices that they add to the butter, as well. Whereas, the butter can certainly change the flavor, I am going to say the quality of the results is wholly dependent on the grill person. There’s not a lot of room to fail at combining butter, garlic and cheese. The best oysters are wherever the best oyster shuckers/grillers are.