Stellar Bay
Crassostrea gigas
A tumbled Pacific oyster from British Columbia with a smooth, deep purple-black shell. Abundantly meaty with a mild, clean flavor featuring subtle sweetness and a melon-like finish.
Flavor Profile
Finish
Clean, mild sweetness with melon-like aftertaste
Expert Notes
Stellar Bay oysters are the larger sibling of the famous Kusshi, grown by Keith Reid using aggressive tumbling techniques that create a terrifically deep cup packed with abundant, plump white meat. The tumbling process strengthens the shell while limiting liquor, resulting in a meat-forward experience. These oysters showcase a clean, delicate flavor profile with mild brininess, subtle sweetness, and a distinctive melon-like aftertaste that makes them exceptionally approachable. Origin & Characteristics
- Species
- Crassostrea gigas
- Native to
- Japan
- Grown in
- Deep Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, George Bay, Cortes Island, British Columbia
- Size
- Medium (2.5-3.5 inches)
- Shell Color
- Smooth, deep purple-black
- Meat Color
- White to cream
Perfect Pairings
What Experts Say
Across 9 sources, tasters describe this oyster as:
Unique notes: melon-like aftertaste, lingering finish, bountiful amplitude
"What immediately strikes you is the bountiful amplitude of its white flesh, which practically spills out of the shell. What you get in a Stellar Bay or a Kusshi is more meat than you expect, a terrifically deep cup, and very little liquor (no room!). A top choice for those who prefer mild oysters."
mildmeatyclean
"firm texture, bright but moderate brine character, nice cucumber touches"
firmmoderate brinecucumber
"These oysters are tumbled every few weeks to give them a clean, delicate flavor with a mildly sweet, salty finish and a melon-like aftertaste."
cleandelicatesweetsaltymelon
"Stellar Bays are perfectly shaped tumbled oysters with deep cups. They are firm and crisp in texture with an intensely sweet and rich flavor and a lingering finish."
firmcrispsweetrich
"They have beautiful shells with deep cups. Stellar Bay Oysters are a larger version of the famous Kusshi oyster."
deep cupmeaty
"These live oysters are like a large Kusshi Oyster, deeply cupped Pacific oyster, perfect for beginner oyster eaters and old pros alike. This effort creates a deep cupped, meaty little oyster."
meatydeep cupmild
About the Farm
Stellar Bay Shellfish Ltd.
Led by Keith Reid, Stellar Bay Shellfish is dedicated to producing oysters of exceptional quality in the pristine waters of Baynes Sound off Vancouver Island. The company is now one of the largest half-shell producers in British Columbia and all of Canada.
- Cultivation Method
- suspended culture
History & Background
Keith Reid started his oyster education in 1991 and founded Stellar Bay Shellfish to tap into British Columbia's oyster potential. The company has refined traditional cultivation processes to produce unique, world-class oysters using labor-intensive proprietary tumbling techniques.
Stellar Bay oysters are essentially a larger version of the famous Kusshi oyster, both cultivated by Keith Reid using aggressive tumbling methods. The name follows the Japanese naming tradition like Kusshi (meaning 'precious'), emphasizing the premium quality.
Did You Know?
- Stellar Bay oysters are the same as Kusshi oysters, just allowed to grow one size larger
- They are considered 'an oyster shucker's nightmare' because their shells are brittle from the tumbling process
- The tumbling process is so aggressive it happens every few weeks, creating their signature smooth purple-black shell
Sources & References
This information was compiled from 9 sources.
- Stellar Bay - British Columbia — The Oyster Guide
- Stellar Bay Oyster — OysteRater
- Oyster Varieties — The Seafood Merchants
- Stellar Bay Oysters — Chefs Resources
- Small But Beautiful — Aquaculture North America
- Live Oysters Descriptions — Fortune Fish & Gourmet
- Stellar Bay Oysters (Live) — Seafood Connection
- Introduction to Oysters — Industrial Plankton
- Kusshi Oysters — The Oyster Encyclopedia
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Learn More
The Big Five: A Complete Guide to Commercial Oyster Species
Comprehensive guide to C. virginica (Atlantic), C. gigas (Pacific), C. sikamea (Kumamoto), O. lurida (Olympia), and O. edulis (European Flat)
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