Oyster Menu Regulars: Rappahannock Oyster Co.
When it comes to friendships and seafood, distance shouldn’t matter. If anything, when it comes to our friendship with Rappahannock Oyster Co., distance was an added benefit.
Dedication to quality seafood knows no bounds. Be it Australian Spiny Lobsters or just a hankering for good east-coast oysters, delicious seafood doesn’t end outside of our home base in Southern California. That’s why we turn to our partners who continuously produce the quality we expect and help us secure the best seafood from around the world.
Although our relationship with Rappahannock Oyster Co. started in the 2000s, their story begins in 1899.
Photo courtesy of Rappahannock Oyster Co.
How Rappahannock Oyster Co. Started
When purchasing a few acres of fertile Rappahannock Riverbed near Butylo, Va., J.A. Croxton surely couldn’t have known that he was creating a company that would last for over a century.
By 2001, after a century of over harvesting, the oyster population in Chesapeake Bay was less than 1% of the amount present when J.A. Croxton made his purchase, and Chesapeake Bay had just recorded its lowest ever oyster harvest.
As cousins Ryan and Travis Croxton took the helm of the company, threats of placing the Bay oyster on the Endangered Species List and a movement away from native oysters in favor of introducing a Chinese oyster in its place was underway.
A mission to resurrect the native Bay oyster quickly expanded into a crusade to pave the pathways of restoration of all Chesapeake Bay food ways. Because of the oytser's ability to filter 50 gallons of water per day and provide habitat for countless species, it was the perfect weapon to attack this growing problem. Using oysters as their paintbrush, Rappahannock Oyster Co. set out to paint a cover over the decades old graffiti of a wall that is the Chesapeake Bay, laying the base for the gorgeous mural of seafood that it has become.
After two decades since the Croxton cousins took over, Chesapeake Bay is now seeing numbers not witnessed in generations and now leads the entire East Coast in oyster production.
Rappahannock Oyster Co. Methodology
Rappahannock Oyster Co. oysters are grown directly next to wild oysters, however by growing them in cages rather than the ocean floor, they preserve the fragile river-bottom. In their growth cycle that lasts from 24-to-36 months, the oysters filter the river water, clearing it of excess nutrients and cleaning it to provide a habitat for the fish that call the river home.
The oysters are carefully monitored during its growth. Keeping an eye on salt and temperature levels help to guard the oyster against unsightly growth habits and fight disease, ensuring a healthy, attractive and succulent oyster.
Once grown, they are hand-selected and placed into an iced-down shipping container destined for King’s Seafood Distribution, where they are closely monitored, quality-checked and sent out to all Water Grill locations.
Rappahannock Oysters At Water Grill
Depending on season and availability, any of the three oysters grown and supplied by Rappahannock Oyster Co. can be found on our Water Grill menus. Check out today’s menus for availability.
Rappahannock Oysters At-A-Glance
Rappahannock River
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Location: Topping, VA
Flavor: Sweet, buttery, full-bodied taste with a refreshingly clean, crisp finish.
Rochambeau
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Location: Yorktown, VA
Flavor: Sweet and mildly briny with a clean crisp finish.
Olde Salts
Species: Crassostrea virginica (native)
Location: Chincoteague, VA
Flavor: Bold seaside brininess with a smooth, clean follow-through.
The Florida Stone Crab
This is a crab known for its claws and a season we look forward to each year. Meet the Florida Stone Crab. These crabs are harvested from the waters of Southern Florida – one claw at a time.
A renewable resource from the water itself, Florida Stone Crabs are harvested exclusively for their claws, which they’re able to regenerate when removed. The Florida Stone Crab season runs from mid-October through mid-March.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA STONE CRAB
The Florida Stone Crab (Menippe mercenaria) is a type of mud crab that burrows into muddy and sandy bottoms near river mouths, estuaries and mangrove forests around the coasts of Southern Florida. The latter provides the perfect space for these crabs, which are secretive in nature and like to hide under docks, mangrove roots or in small holes away from their natural predators like sea turtles, octopuses and grouper.
These crabs typically range in sizes from 5 to 6 ½ inches across their carapace, but it’s their black-tipped claws that really make this crab stand out. It’s the biggest crab you’re likely to find on a Florida beach, with 10 pairs of legs: eight for swimming and two for powerful pinching.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CLAWS
Primarily feeding on clams, oysters, snails and other mollusks, Florida Stone Crabs have powerful claws. Since its primary source of food is locked behind hard shells, these crabs have developed claws that can generate 19,000 pounds per square inch of force when closing.
Unlike other crabs, Florida Stone Crabs are only harvested for their claws which can regenerate, or regrow, if it’s been removed. This means the claw can be harvested and the crabs can be released back into their natural habitats while it grows back, a process that typically takes a year.
HARVESTING THE CLAWS
Florida Stone Crab Season is open yearly from October 15 to March 15. For a claw to be harvested, it now needs to be at least 2 ⅞ inches in length from the bottom section of the claw to the elbow, or first knuckle. Claws are available in a range of sizes from medium (7 to 8 claws per pound) to colossal (1 to 2 claws per pound).
To avoid the meat sticking to the inside of the claws, Florida Stone Crab claws are always cooked right after being harvested and either immediately sold or frozen to be sold later.
While it is legal to harvest both claws from the crab if they meet the size requirements, it’s frowned upon due to the crab’s chance for survival dropping significantly without both. Claws of an egg-bearing female cannot be harvested, and they must be returned to the water immediately.
It’s possible to distinguish between claws that are original and ones that have been regenerated. Here’s how: look on the inner facing side of the claw (propodus). If it’s the original claw, you’ll see a little print with continuous lines that look like a fingerprint. If the lines are broken or dotted, it is a regenerated claw.
Over 98% of the Stone Crab catch in the United States comes from Florida which is overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. As the leader in the fishery management, the FFWCC places limits on trap sizes, as well as number of traps and permits issued. Over 75% of the catch comes from Collier, Dade and Monroe Counties.
FLORIDA STONE CRAB AT WATER GRILL
These delectable claws are sweet and rich in flavor with a firm, dense texture. At Water Grill, we serve Wild Florida Stone Crab Claws chilled in two sizes - Large (3 to 5 claws per order) or Jumbo (1 to 2 claws per order). A mustard dipping sauce accompanies each order. This is a Southern Florida seasonal specialty and a must-try for any crab or seafood lover when available. Check out menus and seasonal availability here.
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