In Season: Oysters

Colder water temperatures make for ideal oyster-eating conditions

“Fall is the best time for oysters,” says Bailey Campbell, head chef of 167 Raw oyster bar in Charleston for the past two years. “They’re so good because they’re feeding heavily, preparing for winter, so they’re packing tons of fat, glucose reserves—so that meat gets super plump and just gorgeous.”

That’s straight from the mouth of a South Carolina native who’s been shucking oysters since college, and 167 is “definitely a New England oyster bar”—but oysters from both the Carolinas also grace the menu. “Our area is Rhode Island and north, and then North Carolina, South Carolina,” Campbell says. They source from year-round triploid oyster farms as well as wild diploids from Bird Island and Port Royal.

Be a Purist

Campbell tries to keep eight raw varieties on the menu and encourages customers to try them all. “Really, it’s just like wine, the little subtle nuances; you can’t pick up on it unless you’re doing that tasting back-to-back. Don’t worry about all the sauces and stuff. It’s really about the oyster and this little snapshot of the water that day.” He adds, “As long as you’re enjoying, you’re doing it right.”

Apple Pie Spice

When pressed, Campbell admits to a flavor profile he does enjoy pairing with raw oysters. “For fall, ginger and apple that’s my favorite raw oyster topping. We’ll do just a little ginger, a sweet apple, Honeycrisp or Fuji, a little rice wine vinegar, lime juice kinda deal.”

Get the recipe: Oysters on the Half Shell with Honeycrisp Ginger Mignonette

Roast ‘Em

As weather cools, roasted oysters fit the season when paired with a housemade tuna chorizo, Calabrian chile butter, and Manchego cheese. “Steamboat Creek is the oyster I prefer for roasted,” Campbell says, referring to a farm on Edisto Island. “They just roast up so well, and that shell is so wide, so it presents really nicely with all the cheese and butter and everything.”

Get the recipe: Roasted Oysters with Tuna Chorizo, Calabrian Chile Butter, and Manchego

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