Oysters are a seasonal delicacy, and North Carolina’s Outer Banks is a great destination for oyster lovers. Though there are many ways to eat them – oysters on the half shell are an Outer Banks classic. Whether you prefer them raw or steamed. You won’t have to search very far when it comes to finding oysters on the OBX.
Outer Banks Oysters
Roast ’em. Shuck ’em. Eat ’em!
We’re sure you’ve heard it before: Traditionally, on the Outer Banks oyster season belongs to the “R” months – those being September through April. However, depending on what type of oyster it is, some can be eaten any time of the year. That type of oyster is what local oyster farmer Katherine McGlade, and most other oyster farms use – the triploid oyster.
The triploid is an oyster that is sterile. The sterile oysters come from fertile parents who naturally produce sterile offspring. “The reason we grow a sterile oyster is the reason why oysters were typically not eaten in the warm weather months. They were putting out so much energy to reproduce they were skinny.” McGlade continues, “But when they’re sterile, they never put out energy for reproductive material, so they stay fat and can produce 12 months a year.”
The Best Outer Banks Oysters Bars & Restaurants
Many of the restaurants in the area feature a raw bar, a small bar within the restaurant where live raw shellfish are shucked and served. So if you love raw oysters, steamed oysters, or even if Oysters Rockefeller is your thing, then the OBX is right place to be. Here are a few of the Outer Banks restaurants where they show off their shucking skills.
Some Outer Banks Restaurants Offer Oysters on the Half Shell Year-Round
You can find oysters on the Outer Banks any time of the year with certain restaurants that feature a Raw Bar!
North Carolina Oyster History
Oysters have been harvested and eaten for generations on the North Carolina coast and there is A LOT to learn when it comes to the oyster business. Oysters naturally grow in the estuarine bodies of brackish water on the Outer Banks. When farmed, the temperature and salinity of the water have to be controlled or monitored to ensure healthy harvests. The North Carolina Oyster Wars was a large piece of U.S. oyster history. At one time, in the late 19th century, North Carolina’s oyster beds were some of the most productive in the United States. Unfortunately, due to over-harvesting, environmental sustainability, and the balance between commerce and resources, the wild stock took a major hit throughout the years.
Oyster roasts have long been a seaside tradition.
Fall on the Outer Banks is here and that means that it’s time to get those fire pits ready again. Getting cozy around a bonfire and roasting oysters is a common OBX past time during the chiller months of the year. Oyster roasts have a way of bringing people together. Whether it’s in the comfort of your own backyard or at a local Outer Banks Restaurant.