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Oysters – Short-Term Storage

Erken's method from 1914 for keeping oysters fresh for several days: alternating 12 hours in salt water (30 g salt per liter) and 12 hours dry with the deep shell down.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 136 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

From the chapter on shellfish in "Stor kokebok" (1914). Before the age of the refrigerator, oysters were kept alive in salt water; here Erken describes how they can be kept fresh for several days by alternating between salt water bath and drying.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Place the oysters in a vessel

    Place the oysters in a tub or a suitable vessel with the deep shell down.

  2. 2

    Salt water bath

    Mix 30 g salt per liter of water and pour over so the oysters are covered. Let stand undisturbed for 12 hours.

  3. 3

    Drying

    Pour off the water and let the oysters stand dry for 12 hours, still with the deep shell down.

  4. 4

    Repeat

    Repeat the alternation between salt water bath and drying a couple of times. This way the oysters can keep for several days.

Changes from the original

Quantities are given in modern units (grams and liters). The method has been divided into numbered steps and the language modernized; "but" (a wooden vessel) is rendered as tub/vessel.

Tidsmaskin – hva endret seg?

Velg to utgaver og se hva Henriette Schønberg Erken la til, fjernet eller endret mellom dem.

Fra1914Modernisert
Til1914Modernisert
1914 (korrekturlest, s. 136) → Modernisert~76% av teksten endretfjernetlagt til
østers, levende og friske (ønsket mengde). 30 gr. g salt til (per liter vann). 1 l. vand. Østerserne lægges l vann (kaldt). Legg østersen i en but balje eller et passende kar med det dype skal ned, dækkes med salt og vand — skallet ned.. Bland 30 gr. g salt til 1 l. vand — per liter vann og ligger hell over så østersen er dekket. La stå urørt i 12 timer, vandet heldes fra. Staar tørre timer.. Hell av vannet og la østersen stå tørt i 12 timer timer, fremdeles med det dype skal ned. Denne proces gjentages skallet ned.. Gjenta vekslingen mellom saltvannsbad og tørrlegging et par ganger; de ganger. Slik kan østersen holde sig seg i flere dage. dager.

Note til Modernisert

Mengder er oppgitt i moderne enheter (gram og liter). Fremgangsmåten er delt i nummererte trinn og språket modernisert; «but» er gjengitt som balje/kar.

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Frequently asked questions

How much salt should I use in the water?
30 grams of salt per liter of water. The oysters are placed in a vessel with the deep shell down and completely covered by the salt water.
How long should the oysters be in water and how long dry?
12 hours undisturbed in the salt water, then the water is poured off and they stand dry for 12 hours with the deep shell down. The process is repeated a couple of times.
How long do the oysters keep with this method?
According to the recipe in Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914, p. 136), they can keep for several days when the alternation between salt water and dry storage is repeated.
Why should the deep shell face down?
That way the oyster retains its own liquid in the deep shell, so it does not dry out while it lies dry.

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