Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Wow! I think I heard a hissing noise coming from the box, are these alive? Should I refrigerate or freeze?
A: Yes, we ship fresh, live shellfish straight from the beach to your doorstep within hours. They are best served as fresh as possible, so if you plan to eat them within 5 days, do not freeze them. Instead, refrigerate or place in a cooler until ready to serve. They do best when kept moist with ice slowly trickling over them, but keep coolers drained so they do not become submerged in fresh water. Or you can lay them flat, (horizontal) and drape with a damp towel in fridge.
Q: My dinner party is in 2 weeks, what is the best way to freeze them to preserve the freshest taste? And how should I thaw, or otherwise handle them to ensure the best quality.
A: This is best discussed for each shellfish type:
Oysters:
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If you cook them in their shells, rinse them one more time to remove loose shell fragments and beach matter. Then contain them in a plastic bag as air-tight as possible & place in freezer. THAW shortly before you’re ready to cook, & prepare as you normally would.
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If you cook shucked oysters, SHUCK A.S.A.P. then vacuum seal or tightly zip seal and freeze. THAW & prepare as you normally would. See below for shucking instructions & recipes page for cooking suggestions.
Clams:
- steamer clams freeze very nicely …
- if you wash them well before freezing, this enables you to take the bag from the freezer & drop it directly into boiling broth or water.
- We rinse all of our products as much as 6 times before shipping, but they should always be thoroughly washed one last time by the chef for maximum enjoyment.
