Comments on How to Shuck Oysters

Most shuckers pry the oyster open at the hinge, or "hinge pop," them. However, just like there are basically two main varieties of oyster knife, there are two main styles of shucking. I shucked oysters at a busy oyster bar in New Orleans for seven years, often shucking nine or ten sacks per night, and I never cut myself once. I learned my technique from an older shucker. He told me he learned it from an old Cajun guy. But, why not just "hinge pop" oysters? There are a couple of reasons. When you hinge pop them, you've got the knife pointed right at your hand. If, as is often the case, the hinge breaks in such a way as to make it difficult to get the knife in a position to pry, the temptation especially for a beginner to apply pressure is strong. I can't tell you how many knives have gone all the way through people's hands while hinge popping. The first thing I learned about knives in general was that you never cut toward any part of your body. Hinge popping pretty much forces you to point the knife at your hand and apply pressure. Sooner or later, you will end up in the hospital. Another reason not to hinge pop is that often thick muck collects in the hinge. Once you get the oyster open, you have a dirty knife on your hands, forcing you to stop what you are doing and clean it or just ignore it and get the oyster dirty. The alternate method of shucking works with one of the thick-bladed, stainless steel, plastic-handled shucking knives, but I have found that the wooden handled, thin-bladed, regular steel ones work better. The thin bladed ones, however, have very thin blades at the tip, and it is best to grind or file it down into a point a little further up the blade. You might just wait until the tip breaks to grind it down to a point again. Also, a rubber tip for a chair leg from the hardware store makes a perfect pad for the knife, because you will be putting pressure on the end of the handle. I always worked with an "oyster lead," a curvy piece of lead that creates a valley into which to brace the oyster. If hardware stores in your area do not sell oyster leads, rig up something that can securely brace the oyster on its side, perhaps a six-inch length of pipe split long ways and bent out so there is a valley in the center. The hardest thing to figure out for the beginner is which side to place facing the shucker. The following instructions are for right-handed people. I am not sure how to do this method left-handed. Place the oyster in the lead or brace with the edge pointing upward and the hinge facing to about 11:00. Most oysters curve slightly, so look at it and make sure the oyster curve is in a position to make a slight frown rather than a smile. If it curves like a smile, flip it over. Place your left palm on the oyster, extend your fingers until they are straight, and press the oyster against the lead or brace with your palm. Place the butt of the oyster knife in your right palm so that the blade extends continuing the line of your arm. Now, here is the part that will save your hand. Place the flat of the blade against your left thumb print. If the oyster slips or shifts now, the pressure you apply with the left thumb will force the blade away from any part of your body, making it impossible to cut yourself. Now you have to locate the seam that runs down the edge of the oyster. It takes a little practice, but you will get it. Take the sharp tip of the knife, place it in the seam, and wiggle-twist it until you can slide it in. If you want to get fancy, the next part can be fun. Once the knife has slipped into the seam, twist it counter clockwise to open the oyster, and, in one motion, cut the top muscle and flip the shell into the trash! The oyster should look like a perfect gray bubble on the half shell. Make sure there is no grit or dirt on the knife, and then cut the bottom muscle. Make sure to cut it well.

Tip learned from Julia Child on TV. Flip oyster upside-down (flat side up). Insert the pointy end of a beer can opener in the notch at the narrow end of the shell. Apply pressure and flip up. Ta da.

My father told me that an experienced oyster shucker would only let his knife slip once. He was absolutely correct.

Use an oyster glove that is made of leather.

First, The colder the oyster, the easier it is to shuck, so have them on ice. Second, you can't open an oyster over a bowl. You have to pry the little guy open and you can't get leverage in mid air, suspended over a bowl.

Use the tip of the oyster knife to press perpendicularly down on the top shell, just a hair from the edge and along a side fairly far from the hinge. Opening the hinge is a last resort and works---if you have to---with a can opener.

Hold the oyster firmly on a cutting board. Place the sharp shuck knife in the front of the oyster at the lip. "Feel" the knife in and as soon as you feel resistance - a half inch - then twist. Lift over the bowl.

If you take your shucking knife and whack off a little shell at the thin lip, you create a hole where you can insert your knife. Sever the abductor muscle and the top shell will fall off! No forcing, no little shell bits to float in your liquor.

Use an oyster glove that is made of leather.

First, The colder the oyster, the easier it is to shuck, so have them on ice. Second, you can't open an oyster over a bowl. You have to pry the little guy open and you can't get leverage in mid air, suspended over a bowl.

Hold the oyster firmly on a cutting board. Place the sharp shuck knife in the front of the oyster at the lip. "Feel" the knife in and as soon as you feel resistance - a half inch - then twist. Lift over the bowl.