Naked Cowboy® Oysters Flavor Profile
image courtesy Blue Island Oyster CompanyNaked Cowboy Oysters…the name itself arouses curiosity, suggesting a sultry, naughty experience waiting to happen. The words “naked” and “oysters” make perfect sense in the mind of the aphrodisiac thrill seeker and the oyster aficionado. Their namesake, the Naked Cowboy, is an iconic Times Square street performer in NYC who wears only his skivvies, boots, and a cowboy hat while playing a guitar strategically placed to make him look naked. In 2009 when Chris Quartuccio, owner of Blue Island Oyster Company, was looking to introduce a new local oyster to Manhattan, he struggled with a name for his new brand…until he passed the Naked Cowboy playing in the streets! They talked, worked out an arrangement with the name, and the rest is history.
The majority of oysters served in restaurants are cultivated, but Naked Cowboys are unique in that they are a wild oyster, hand harvested by the divers of Blue Island Shellfish Farms from New York”s Long Island Sound. And true to their wild nature, variations in flavor and appearance are normal.
Wild oysters grow more slowly than cultivated ones do, so it takes about 3 years for Naked Cowboys to reach market size. But the slower growth also gives them firmer meats with a richer, more complex flavor. Although flavor varies, they tend to be ruggedly savory with a strong mineral accent, smooth texture and a refreshing brininess. Their shells are dark and rugged with varying shades of green.
| Naked Cowboy® Oyster | |
|---|---|
| Location | Long Island Sound, New York |
| Species | Virginica Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) |
| Oyster Availability | September – July |
| Size | up to 4″ |
| Oyster Cultivation | Wild Bottom grown |
| Oyster Flavor Profile | Naked Cowboy® Oysters tend to have full, plump meats with a firm yet smooth texture. They are refreshingly briny with a strong mineral accent and a ruggedly savory finish. |
See proper shellfish storage methods for the best way to maintain the shelf life and flavor of your oysters. Also, check-out our list of where to buy raw oysters.
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