The Real Mother Shuckers
Ben “Moody” Harney, owner of The Real Mother Shuckers, is known these days for serving ultra-fresh oysters from a roving wooden cart. But he wasn’t always a fan.
“I thought they were the most disgusting thing,” says Moody, 36.
Yet when the longtime restaurant worker started a shucker job at the Williamsburg oyster bar Maison Premiere, he not only honed a new expertise; he grew to love the briny shellfish. “For the first time I understood why there’s a six-dollar oyster versus a 60-cent oyster,” he says, adding that the velvety texture and clean flavor profile of the New York City variety are especially toothsome.
Moody also had a knack for oyster shucking. “I have abnormally big hands for my size, and I have a natural dexterity,” he says. But the inspiration to strike out on his own came only after Moody, a proud Bed-Stuy native and third-generation New Yorker, learned about his city’s deep Black history around oysters.
In 19th century New York, oyster beds were abundant in city harbors, making oysters a popular street food — with the industry dominated by African Americans. One particularly enterprising Black oysterman, Thomas Downing, born to formerly enslaved parents, went on to open one of the most successful oyster restaurants of his time on Wall Street, amassing a fortune. (Moody shares more on this in the brilliant Netflix docuseries “High on the Hog” — check him out!) Following this legacy, Moody set up his Mother Shuckers oyster cart nearly seven years ago.
“I’ve given a lot of people their first oyster. And if people are skeptical about trying it, I educate them — you’re going to learn a lot about oysters talking to me.”
Inspired by 1800s African-American entrepreneur Thomas Downing, then called “the Oyster King of New York,” Moody takes a throwback oyster cart approach for Mother Shuckers. With wood paneling, an overhanging banner and oysters packed in a deep bed of ice, the cart travels between multiple Brooklyn locations.
We caught up with the nomadic raw bar on a recent Saturday at Sahidis, a specialty foods market in Industry City. There Moody held court, digging his blade into each oyster, which he serves a la carté and by the half dozen. He also explains everything from their high mineral content to their superior texture: soft with a bit of bite.
“The majority of my clientele is people who would not necessarily call themselves oyster connoisseurs,” he says, thanks to the cart’s stumbled-upon nature. “I’ve given a lot of people their first oyster. And if people are skeptical about trying it, I educate them — you’re going to learn a lot about oysters talking to me.”
Another part of Mother Shuckers’ curb appeal is no doubt the business’ cheeky name. “I was nervous about the name at first because, you know, families might not want to come,” Moody says. “It started as a cheap shot from people trying to make fun of me, but then I was like, ‘Yeah, I am a bad mothershucker!’”
Served with meticulous presentation, Mother Shuckers oysters come in classic flavors — oysters without any accompaniment; oysters topped with parsley, shallots or cocktail sauce — and Moody’s own creations. His sushi oysters are topped with cucumber, seaweed, ponzu and wasabi. Candy apple oysters come with apple, horseradish, yuzu and hot sauce. Next month, a mushroom-based version will be added to the cart’s menu.
“I do different things to add a bit more texture and contrast,” he says. “But I also keep it very clean so you can still taste and enjoy the oyster.”
As part of an effort to revive oyster reefs in New York’s waterways, Moody donates all his shells to the Billion Oyster Project. The initiative hopes to restore a billion oysters to the New York Harbor by 2035 through the recycling of shells, which rebuilds reefs and allows new oyster populations to grow. In other words, if you want to save the ocean, enjoying oysters from Mother Shuckers can help. 😉 Follow Mother Shuckers on Instagram to see where the cart is headed next!
