How to Shuck Fresh Oysters
The following tutorial, video and photography were provided by our partner, Chef Billy Parisi.
You don’t need a reservation at a seafood restaurant to enjoy fresh oysters. With fresh oysters from Heinen’s Seafood Department, a few simple tools and basic technique, you can shuck your own oysters anytime, anywhere.
Let’s dive into the details!
How to Store Fresh Oysters
- If you purchase oysters from Heinen’s Seafood Department, but don’t plan to use them right away, store them in the fridge at 36-40°F. Be sure they are facing cup-side-up to allow the natural liquor to remain in the oyster for as long as possible.
- The oysters will last several days in the fridge, but remember, the sooner they’re eaten after harvest, the fresher they taste!
How to Shuck Fresh Oysters
- Open the oyster with an oyster shucking knife. Look for the end of the oyster, which is usually marked by a small crack or crevice. Insert the knife into the crevice and give the knife a quarter turn, or move it up and down like a lever. As a safety precaution, hold the oyster in a kitchen towel or wear a protective glove. Simply scrape the top of the oyster shell to get all of the delicious oyster meat off of it. You now have a perfectly shucked oyster!
- Remove any excess debris. Sometimes there may be sand or a little shell in the oyster. If this is the case, simply run a little cold water over the shucked oyster to clean it.
- Serve. If you are serving oysters on the half shell, place them directly on a bed of crushed ice with mignonette or cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.
Shucking oysters does take a little practice, but once you get the hang of the technique, you can have perfectly shucked oysters whenever you please!
