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Where to Buy Chesapeake Bay-Farmed Oysters

COVID-19's Impact on Chesapeake Aquaculture

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Support Local Businesses and Save the Bay

Help a local company that is helping to save the Bay. Oyster farmers in the Chesapeake Bay, our partners in the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance, and the Maryland Shellfish Growers Network are bringing oysters to your plate with delivery and pick-up programs to get the tasty bivalve directly to you.


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Looking for a shucking knife and other oyster-related products? Check out Blue Oyster Life and their line of products that support our local aquaculture industry.

What to Do With Your New Bay Oysters

How to Shuck (and Eat!) an Oyster

Extended time at home is the perfect opportunity to learn how to shuck and savor a Chesapeake Bay oyster! And who better to teach you than the pros:

How to Shuck an Oyster

Deborah Pratt is known the world over for her speedy shucking. She's traveled the globe to attend—and win—shucking competitions and has even been featured in Southern Living magazine.

The Proper Way to Eat an Oyster

Johnny Shockley, founding partner at Hoopers Island Oyster Co., knows the oyster biz in and out. He knows a thing or two about how to best enjoy a raw oyster!

Make Emeril Lagasse's Chesapeake Bay Baked Oyster Dressing

When CBF's former Oyster and Fisheries Scientist Tommy Leggett got tagged to appear on the Emeril Green show back in 2008, we were all pretty excited. Emeril brought Tommy and his fresh Chesapeake Bay oysters to the show's kitchen in the Whole Foods store in Fairfax, Virginia.

Emeril's Chesapeake Bay Baked Oyster Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2 dozen shucked oysters, with their liquor
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped bell peppers
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 cups cubed white bread
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Drain the oysters, reserving 1 cup of the liquor. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, and cayenne. Saute‚ for about 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the bay leaves, garlic, and parsley. Saute‚ for about 1 minute.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread mixture with the oyster liquor and enough water to moisten.
  5. Add the moistened breadcrumbs to the vegetables in the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the oysters and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to mix well and remove from the heat.
  6. Oil a 9 X 11-inch baking pan and pour in the mixture. Top with more Parmesan and bake for about 1 hour, or until bubbly and golden brown.
  7. Remove the bay leaves and serve hot.

This recipe was originally featured on the A Local Thanksgiving Episode of Emeril Green, Lagasse's original series on Discovery Channel's Planet Green network, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.