Sneak Peek: NEW Article - How To Shuck Oysters Safely & Properly

[Huskee]

You first! Here we'll post news, gear reviews, videos, and recipes that will end up on the free site BEFORE it gets published there! To see all our NEW Recipes & Gear Reviews, visit the Sneak Preview channel here: https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ew-for-members

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How To Shuck An Oyster Like A Pro, Safely And Properly

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recip...y-and-properly

[Potkettleblack]

Must be the season, as ChefSteps just had a roaming video to an oyster joint, where they highlighted proper shucking...

I'm a bit picky... is there a good way for someone to get into oysters without wasting a lot of money?

[EdF]

Shuck em and eat em. You won't be wasting money. The next step is getting familiar with the different kinds to discover the numerous ones you will like. A good starter if you can find it is Island Creek from Duxbury MA, nice and briny. But not the only ones for certain. Do a search for online sources of various kinds. Start raw. You can branch out from there.

[Donw]

"Insert the knife and sweet it along the shell." Should be sweep.

[Meathead]

Fixed. Thanks!

[MBMorgan]

"2) Work the knife around to the opposite side and with a twist the shell should pop open and pop open. The adductor muscle on the inside of the shell connects the meaty center to the shell. Insert the knife and sweet it along the shell. This should cut the adductor and the shell should lift off easily."

"sweet"?

Edit: I see Donw and I were typing at the same time ...

[EdF]

Oh yeah, they're sweet once you open them up!

[Omega-Man]

Found these on The Google. Two methods, one from the back and one from the front (Hmmm).

From the Back

https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/knife-skills-how-to-shuck-an-oyster.html

From the Front

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/tips-tricks-easiest-way-to-shuck-an-oyster

[EdF]

So let me grow eloquent, since oysters are a passion.

They're all so different depending on breeds / species and where they are grown. I tend towards colder water oysters, but there are good Gulf oysters too. To start, I'd stick with Chesapeake and norther if you're in the US, and Long Island and north on the east coast, Washington on the west. Cold water matters. Farmed are very good.

Definitely try different breeds.

First time I had them, my uncle, brother and I were walking on the beach in Welfleet MA, and the uncle picked up a few, broke them on a rock and we were introduced!

I far prefer them raw. My ex-wife's brother (Louisville, KY) thought he hated oysters, then had them deep-fried on Cape Cod, and became a convert. When my daughter was 18 or so, she'd never had oysters (unbelievable). So we got some of those Island Creeks I mentioned, and she has become my most stalwart oyster eating compatriot. My wife likes them cooked. The "clam" joint (Farnham's) in Essex MA also has fried oysters. I always opt for that when I'm there, much as I love fried bellied clams).

I used to subscribe to a site that would send out reviews of various oyster brands monthly. Should probably find that again!

Eat! Experiment! Enjoy!

[BourBonQ]

Nothing finer than a winter time oyster roast in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, especially when paired with a whole hog BBQ cookout! Major social event all winter long. Bulls Bay and Beaufort selects and clusters are a great mix of salty sweetness, a little more vibrant than some colder water varieties, and best served raw [mouth is watering now].

[HawkerXP]

Now I know where I'm retiring!

[RonB]

Well shucks - this is good info.

[ColonialDawg]

I see what you did there...

[Nate]

Step 1: pick up the oyster

Step 2: CHUCK (not shuck) it back into the water and/or trash (whichever is closer)

Step 3: Eat a steak

[Danjohnston949]

"@Nate, I'd Have Never Thought You a "BIGOT"❓❓❓ Dan

[Henrik]

Spelling/grammar errors:

#2. It says "should pop open and pop open". Too many pop open.

#3. It says "spash", but should most likely be "splash".

and finally, the most important thing is missing: wipe that blade off on the towel to avoid adding/inserting shell ‘residue’ to the oyster. Makes it taste like you’re eating sand.

[Meathead]

Thanks! I have made the corrections. Great point on wiping the blade!

[FireMan]

Huskee, Jacque Pepin had a video on chuckin those lil suckers. Would you have the same problem as with eggs?

[Meathead]

EdF Great stuff! I have been t a few oyster tastings and agree wholeheartedly, cold water are my faves. If you go to an oyster bar it is a LOT of fun to taste all that they have. The problem is they vary from year to year, like wine. One year you decide you like Kumamoto better than Olympia, and the next year, the other way around. So you have to keep trying them.

[Meathead]

So here's a shortened version of a recipe from my next book: Smoke some oysters. Slice a lemon thin, rind and all, and cut the slices into quarters. Simmer them in simple syrup for about 15 minutes. Lay the sweet tart lemon slices on top of the smoked oyster. Lay out a sheet of puffed pastry and cut it into 3" squares. Fold in the corners and pinch them together. Flip the folded side down and paint the tops with lightly beaten egg. Bake until the pastry is golden and flaky, about 15 minutes? Make a lot. They will go really fast. You can see the final product at the bottom of the shucking page.

[Meathead]

Omega-Man I watched the Chef-Steps vid. I have always found that entering from the front chipped the shell more than from the rear (no smart aleck remarks, please). But I wonder: They are based in Seattle, and I learned on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico (lived on long Island, Maine, Sarasota, Cape Canaveral area). I wonder if the lips and hinges, mostly calcium, vary from Atlantic/Gulf to Pacific? What are your experiences?

[Omega-Man]

I have never shucked an oyster but, I had the same impression from just watching both videos that going though the front would create the most chips.

[RobertC]

There are many different species of oyster. Because I split my time between California and France, I rarely eat East Coast or Gulf Coast oysters. (Many French oysters are transplanted Japanese oysters). There are differences between shells' edges. Some oysters can be approached from the front -- but all oysters can be approached from the hinge.

[RobertC]

For example, it would be hard to open a Fin de Claire Marennes-Oleron from the front. The hinge approach is universal; a few oysters with a well-delineated front seam can be approached from the front.

[BourBonQ]

Smoked oysters, check... (PBC style!)