I Bought Oysters at the Market - Now What?

I stopped at the market after work to get provisions for my family.

I noticed a large display bed of ice with netted oysters nestled into it.

I love oysters! But I have always enjoyed them... out.

Others have shucked them.

What if I bring them home and shuck them on my own...

Step 1: Method #1: Flat-head Screwdriver

Don't listen to the blogger "experts".

You need no fancy equipment such as an Oyster shucking knife.

Shuck them and their shelfish, shucking partiality.

I have enjoyed many an oyster in my life, but tonight, my fellow 'iblers, I shucked my own, for the first time.

I researched a bit on the text and video tubes, and gathered enough info to dive in.

They made it seem much more difficult than it really is.

So easy.

Tip: Keep them very chilled, over ice or in the fridge; they seemed easier to pry open. As they warmed up in the ambient air, the difficulty in opening them increased, seemingly.

As I learned from my research, a terry cloth towel and wooden cutting board worked very nicely to provide the friction and grip and safety needed to tackle the shucking job with confidence.

1. Oyster: flat side up, wider end pocketed into your terry-clothed palm, resting on a wooden cutting board.

2. Flat-head screwdriver: Wedge into pointy end where hinge is, a 1/4" at most, then twist 90 degrees to open/separate.

3. De-muscle a small portion along the top(away from you), separating the shell more where it is slightly attached. Just a scraping away will do.

4. Pry open, about 90 degrees.

5. De-attach meat from bottom shell by poking under, easy as it is barely attached.

6. Put over ice and continue shucking.

Step 2: Method #2: Combo of Paring Knife and Screwdriver

The third oyster started giving me a bit of trouble, so I went in with the knife.

My God! That went in easy. For fear of breaking the knife, I pried the shell open with the screwdriver.

The fourth oyster I also unhinged with the knife, and also pried open with, no problem! Those naysayer bloggers had me all worried.

Pshaw.

Unhinged, demuscled, pried open and scraped from bottom shell all with an old, common paring knife.

Step 3: Method #3: When Those Don't Work, Steam It.

As a Nor'easter Girl, I know lots about seafood.

You have to steam most shellfish to get them to open up for you, sans screwdriver.

My guess is that as oysters un-chill, they become more stubborn.

I couldn't safely pry the last one open with screwdriver or knife.

I decided to try to steam that one out of its stubborn seclusion.

It worked!!

Opened right up, just like a steamy magazine in the hands of a young clam.

The meat was a little shriveled after, and less stuck to the shell, for sure.

Step 4: Enjoy!

These virgins were a bit on the salty side.

The steamed one was sweeter, for sure.

One I had with a bit of sriracha and lime juice... made it extra lovely!