How to Open Oysters Without an Oyster Knife
Opening oysters with an oyster knife can be time consuming and dangerous. Plenty of people puncture their hand when the knife slips. You don't need an oyster knife to open an oyster. Oysters, like mussels and other shellfish, will open when heat is applied. Steaming and roasting oysters will open them. If you are shooting for oysters on the half-shell, however, you can use a microwave to open them. It may not be as romantic as shucking them, but it gets the job done. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Rinse oysters under cold water for one minute. Put one oyster in a glass casserole dish.
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Set microwave to defrost.
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Cook for one minute. This first oyster is a test oyster. The Maryland Seafood and Aquaculture Association says that the oysters need to cook for one to two minutes, but since microwaves have differing amounts of power, it is a good idea to test the first one. If the oyster has opened after one minute, shuck it immediately by widening the gap and prying apart with a butter knife. Do not stab the oyster meat, it will cause them to shrivel faster.
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Once you have done one, try a slightly larger batch to see if a larger amount of oysters affects the cooking time. Remember to use the defrost setting. An oyster will cook in three minutes in a microwave.
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Tips & Warnings
Shucked oysters rapidly lose moisture and shrivel. If you are serving a large group, plan to microwave and shuck a few at a time, or place shucked oysters on a tray of ice to prevent deterioration.
References
- Photo Credit oysters on a plate image by Lombok from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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microwave is only good if you're going to cook 'em. if you're eating oysters raw, just do it the hard way. the only time I'd use a microwave is to pop them open, and throw them right on the grill to cook, and add smoke flavor.
