Basic Profile

Origin
Long Island Sound, New York, USA
Species
Crassostrea virginica (Eastern oyster)
Classification
Wild; Blue Island Oyster Co. brand
Farming Method
Wild oysters, hand-harvested by divers
Producer
Blue Island Oyster Co.
Visual Signature
Wild oyster shell

Naked Cowboy oysters are wild oysters hand-harvested by divers from Long Island Sound and sold by Blue Island Oyster Co. of Long Island. In 2011 the company hired the Naked Cowboy, the Times Square street performer, to promote them.1

Naked Cowboy oysters
Naked Cowboy oysters. Photo: brownpau / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

A Wild Oyster in a Farmed World

Most half-shell oysters in the north-east are farmed. A diver-harvested wild oyster varies more in size and shape, because nobody has tumbled it, sorted it or spaced it out on a bed. For the city's long history with these waters, see New York's oyster history.

Flavor Breakdown

The water
Wild beds in Long Island Sound, gathered by hand by divers.1
What to expect
Wild oysters come in uneven shapes and sizes. Expect a salty Sound oyster, fullest in the cold months.

What Makes Naked Cowboy Unique

Unlike most north-east oysters on a raw bar menu, nobody farmed this one: divers pick it from wild beds in Long Island Sound.1 The name is pure marketing, borrowed in 2011 from the Times Square street performer, but the oyster behind it is wild.

A silly name on a serious oyster: wild, diver-picked Long Island Sound. Order it to taste what an unfarmed north-east oyster is like.

Should You Add Lemon?

Cautiously

Taste one plain first.

Pairing Guide

1
Muscadet sur lie

Lean and salty.

2
Gin martini

A New York order for a New York oyster.

OptimalPlain or mignonette
AcceptableLemon
AvoidHeavy cocktail sauce

Who Is This For?

Will love it
  • New York raw bar regulars
  • Anyone who wants a wild oyster
Sources
  1. The Story of Blue Island Oyster Co. blueislandoysterbar.com; Oysterater. "Naked Cowboy Oyster." oysterater.com
Tasting notes & flavor profile in the Oysterminds app →