Penn Cove Oysters Flavor Profile

Penn Cove OystersSee image licensing info

Penn Cove Oysters are a Pacific Northwest oyster from one of the North Puget Sound oyster appellations in Washington State. They start as an Intertidal Beach Cultured Oyster in Samish Bay but are then taken to Penn Cove on Whidbey Island to be finished in the rack & bag method. This is opposite of how it is usually done, which is to go from rack & bag to the beach. This process allows them to fatten-up before harvest on the nutrient rich waters of Penn Cove.

Penn Cove oysters have won many oyster competitions over the years and are the definitive Pacific oyster both in appearance and in flavor. They have been consistently cultivated and marketed for many years on the West Coast and are one of the most nationally recognized oyster featured on restaurant menus. Penn Cove oysters take 2 – 3 years to reach a market size of 3 inches. They have sturdy shells with firm meats, a bright brininess and a cucumber finish.

 

Penn Cove Select Oysters
Location Samish Bay, Bellingham & Penn Cove, Whidbey Island, WA
Species Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
Oyster Availability September – July
Size up to 4″
Oyster Cultivation Beach cultivated in Samish Bay, then Bag suspended in Penn Cove
Salinity 3.1%  (3.5% is full ocean salinity)
Oyster Flavor Profile Penn Cove Oysters have firm meats with a bright brininess and a cucumber finish.
Map See Penn Cove Select Oysters Map

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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