How to Shuck Oysters

ENJOYING THESE MOLLUSKS NEED NOT BE A SHELL GAME—THANKS TO SECRETS FROM CULINARY PRO VANESSA SEDER.

BUYING AND STORING OYSTERS

Oysters can contain harmful bacteria, so care must be taken when purchasing and storing them. Here a few rules of thumb: n Purchase your oysters from a reputable fishmonger. The seafood store should smell clean, not fishy. If the smell concerns you, the seafood should as well. n Pay attention to the oysters’ origin. They should come from locations known for breeding safe-to-eat oysters. If in doubt, ask your seafood purveyor. Oysters should be labeled with where they came from and harvest dates. n Fresh oysters must be alive before eating them. The oyster must be able to tightly close its shell. Tap on any open oyster shells. If an oyster is no longer alive, its shell will remain open and it should be discarded. If it is alive, the shell will close; it is then safe to shuck. n Oysters should be kept on ice and refrigerated but stored out of the water. I recommend eating them within 24 hours of purchase to ensure freshness. This is especially true in the warmer months. To my way of thinking, there isn’t much that beats a plate of cold, fresh, briny oysters on a hot day. There’s a downside, though, as my fellow oyster lovers will attest. At $3 a pop at most restaurants, satisfying your oyster fix can be an expensive proposition, especially considering the relatively skimpy amount of food they provide. There’s a pearl lining here, though: A primary reason for the oyster’s hefty price tag is the labor involved in preparation, so if you’re game, mastering the art of shucking will pay dividends over time. Just be aware there’s an accompanying risk, one roughly comparable to becoming, say, a master margarita maker. Namely, once word gets out, you may find yourself in constant demand, fielding recurring requests—in short, relegated to the position of the default supplier within your social circle. Accordingly, to some extent you may want to keep a shell—I mean a lid—on your newfound shucking skills and remain a surreptitious shucker. Just follow the instructions below, and whether openly or secretly, you’ll master oyster shucking in no time.

BRING TOOLS You’ll need a) an oyster knife and b) a dishcloth and/or protective glove. Any reputable kitchen supply store or seafood market will carry oyster knives. SUIT UP Fold the cloth over itself in thirds to make it thick. If you have a glove, now is the time to put it on. Then wrap the dishcloth around your hand, covering both your hand and your thumb. GET A GRIP Place the oyster on a cutting board with the hinge end farthest from you. Grip the posterior part of the shell with your cloth-covered hand to hold it in place. The flat side should be at the top and the rounded side at the bottom. DO THE TWIST Exerting gentle but steady force, insert the point of the oyster knife into the hinge. Wiggle a bit to establish a steady point of contact. Holding the knife firmly, turn your wrist to twist the knife and pop open the hinge. TOP IT OFF Run the knife along the underside of the top shell to detach it from the oyster. Remove the top shell, taking care not to spill the liquid from the bottom shell containing the oyster. SET IT FREE Gently slide the knife around and under the oyster to release it from the bottom shell. DRESS FOR SUCCESS Arrange prepped oysters on a plate over ice, alongside any desired toppings, such as the cucumber radish mignonette, cocktail sauce, horseradish and/or lemon. SLURPEE TIME Eat oysters.