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Considering smoked oysters

11 years ago

I am trying to use up some stuff mom had languishing in her pantry. That included two tins of smoked oysters. I remember as a kid, mom would serve them a lot, in a little dish with a silver fork at parties, and then just out of the tin at picnics. I loved them. But then I became a vegetarian. And then I learned way too much about farmed oysters for my own good as a biologist. So last night, I had them with crackers and cheese for dinner, and I was underwhelmed. They had a chemical taste. It seems like smoked oysters were a popular food in the 60's but have fallen out of favor. I wonder why? The "farmed in China" was enough to put me right off. But I want to use them up. I'm wondering how? One thought I had was cornbread dressing. I seem to see them listed as an ingredient in some Thanksgiving dressings. I guess maybe some kind of fisherman's pie might be OK. Does anyone here eat them regularly? And how, just plain or in some kind of dish?

Featured Answer

User

11 years ago

I think most canned goods have a best before or an expiration date. Some longer than others. I wouldn't want to eat a can of oysters if they had been in the pantry for a few years. And the fact that you thought that they had a chemical taste should be enough to tell you that they are not at their best. They won't get any better adding them to other ingredients.

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Comments (13)

User
11 years ago
Never found them to have a chemical taste. How long have they been in your mother's pantry?
l pinkmountain
Original Author
11 years ago
I dunno. Reese smoked oysters in a tin. I'm assuming they have a fairly long shelf life.
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l pinkmountain
Original Author
11 years ago
I looked on the can of sardines they were next to, and it has a 2011 date, so maybe that was the problem. I wonder if my landlady's cats would like them?
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
11 years ago
Compost.

I wouldn't risk giving the kitties indigestion.
marilyn_c
11 years ago
I wouldn't eat them. I don't eat any thing from China, if I can help it, and oysters in a tin.....no way. My husband and his family have been in the seafood business for almost 100 years....so I am very picky about seafood. But never from China. I won't eat tilapia because it is from Asia. Uh uh. No way.
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
11 years ago
ewww, expired 3 years ago? Throw out!
User
11 years ago
I became a vegetarian. And then I learned way too much about
farmed oysters for my own good as a biologist. So last night, I had
them with crackers and cheese for dinner, and I was underwhelmed. They
had a chemical taste. The "farmed in
China" was enough to put me right off. But I want to use them up.

WHY? After everything you said, why would you do anything but toss them? And please don't give them to the poor kitties!
l pinkmountain
Original Author
11 years ago
I fished the box that covered the tin out of the recycle. It says, "Fancy Cherrywood Smoked." That was probably the "chemical" taste. Not sure why anyone would smoke something in cherry wood, it's got cyanide in it. Very low levels, but it's a natural pesticide and keeps insects from eating too much of the leaves. You'd have to eat a heck of a lot, and the stuff is used to flavor things, but I just don't care for the smell or taste. I'll probably eat the oysters though. I didn't get sick. Get grossed out if you want, I can't afford to throw out edible protein. USDA plants database on black cherry wood
User
11 years ago
But you didn't buy it. Your mother did ... years ago. So why are you eating something you don't like? Doesn't make sense.
User
11 years ago
Lpink, life is too short to eat something that is past its prime. I know that you don't like to waste anything, but there is a difference between wasting and eating something that you already know doesn't taste great. And as Cindy said, you didn't buy it.
mike_kaiser_gw
11 years ago
I've never had smoked oysters but it seems that you should really try a fresh can before forming an opinion. I found a company called Ekone who sells smoked oysters from Washington state.
annie1992
11 years ago
L, I've had them a couple of times and don't care for them, they all seem to have that "chemical" flavor to me. I don't know if it's the smoke, or the oysters, or the flavor of the can, but it's just not right. Mine weren't expired, either, so it wasn't that. Elery loves the darned things, so I let HIM eat them, he doesn't even have to share, LOL.

That said, I wouldn't eat them if they were outdated by years. Weeks, definitely. Months, probably. Years. Um, nope.

Annie

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