How to Shuck an Oyster- The Chef Jojo Guide

HOW TO SHUCK AN OYSTER

There is nothing quite like a fresh, ripe from the ocean, delicious oyster. Which is why here at Serea you will always find fresh local oysters and oysters from around the country on our menu. We love all things oyster and appreciate a fresh oyster when it is shucked and served correctly.

However, while many people love oysters not everyone understands how to shuck an oyster properly. The good news is, if you come down to Serea, we will go ahead and take care of the shucking for you. However, we still think every oyster lovers should know how to shuck an oyster, should the situation arise. So, here’s Chef JoJo’s simple guide on how to shuck an oyster.

1. Gather your supplies. Before you start shucking, you will need a few things first: heavy gloves, an oyster knife, a bed of ice and a stiff-bristled brush.
2. Pick out your oysters. Make sure the oysters have closed shells (otherwise they may already be dead). They should also have a sea smell and feel heavy—which means it is still full of sweater and very fresh.
3. Put on your gloves. It is so easy to cut yourself when shucking oysters, so you want to make sure you have a tough pair of gloves on first.
4. Scrub the oysters clean. Use that bristled brush to scrub the exterior of the oyster under cold running water. This will get all of the ocean grit off of the oyster shell.
5. Grab your oyster in one hand. The curved side of the oyster (or the cup side) should be facing down in your palm. The hinge of the oyster (also known as the point) should face toward you.
6. Put the oyster knife into the hinge. Point the knife down so it slides into the cup of the oyster. Then, use a twisting motion to separate the top and the bottom shells. You will instantly feel the hinge pop open when you twist the knife correctly.
7. Open up the shell. Carefully run the blade along the top of the shell. Do your best to work the blade as close to the top of the shell as possible. Make sure to get all the way around the shell.
8. Keep the juice inside. As you start to open up the shell, make sure to keep as much of the juices inside the shell, inside where they belong.
9. Open up the shell. You will find your fresh oyster inside. If there is no juice left inside the oyster or if the oyster is dried out or dead looking—discard it.
10. Look for any oyster meat that is stuck to the bottom or the top of the shell. Carefully separate this meat and place the oyster back in the bottom of the shell—this makes the oysters easy to sip, slurp and enjoy. Again, make sure to leave all of the juices inside.

Make sure to instantly put the oyster on a fresh bed of ice. This is how you should always serve oysters. They should also be served with a fresh lemon, and any sauces (such as cocktail or horseradish) that you prefer.

The next time you are out collecting oysters, you will really be able to impress your friends with your skills. Of course, if you have a craving for fresh oysters without so much work, just come down to Serea, and we will shuck some fresh, plump delicious oysters for you right here in house.