HOW TO SHUCK PACIFIC OYSTERS
1 2 3 4
5 6
“Thetasteandtextureofoysters
varyhugelydependingonwhere
they’regrown;it’sworthtryingones
fromdifferentregionstocompare
theflavour.If youhaveanoyster
knife, shucking (the technical term
foropeningsomeshellfish)iseasy
todo.If youdon’thavea shucking
knife,youcanputPacificoystersin
a hotovenfora fewmomentsand
theywillopennaturally – but they
will be cooked.”
BUILD YOUR SEAFOOD SKILLS
EQUIPMENT
I recommendusinganoyster
knifeasI findit easiertofit
thesharppointinthehingeof
theoyster,whichpreventsit
slippingout.Shuckingiseasy
todo:justtakea deepbreath,
then follow my instructions.
KNOW-
HOW
Alsosoldasrock
oystersorJapanese
oysters,Pacificoysters
are available year-round.
1
PROTECTYOURHANDS
Cradletheoyster,rounded-
sidedown,ina clothtoprotect
yourhands.Findthehingeat
thepointedendoftheoyster,
thenpushanoysterknife,with
thetippointingdownatthe
board,intothecrackbetween
thetopandbottomshells.
2
EMBEDTHEKNIFE
Twisttheknife,still
pointingdown,tocreatea gap
andslidethebladefurtherinto
theshell.Makesuretheknife
blade is embedded in the shell.
3
OPENTHEOYSTER
Oncethebladeis in,don’t
pushtheknifeanyfurther,but
twistorleverthebladeto
dislocatethehinge– you’ll
heara shuckingnoisethat
meanstheoysterhasopened.
4
RELEASETHE
TOPSHELL
Runtheknifebladeacrossthe
undersideofthetopshellto
cutthemuscleattachment,
thenpulltheshellaway.Try
tokeeptheliquidintheshell.
5
RELEASETHEOYSTER
Usingthepointofthe
blade,cutthemuscleunder
theoystertoreleaseit from
theroundedhalfoftheshell.
6
TURNOVERAND
CHECKFORSHELL
Toserve,carefullyrollthe
oysteroverintheshellusing
theknifesotheplump,
roundedsideoftheoysteris
uppermost.Removeanyloose
shardsofshell.Tipawaya tiny
amountofjuicefromtheoyster
as it will release more as it sits.
TOSTOREKeepoystersinthefridgesittingrounded-side
down,sotheydon’tlosetheirliquidif theyopenup.
TOCOOKTryoystersgrilledwithdill,pastisandcrème
fraîchewitha sprinklingofgratedparmesan.
CJ’STIPSMakesureoystersaretightlyclosedbefore
opening.Oystersthatareevenslightlyopenwon’tbesafe
toeat.Avoiddrinkingtoomuchalcoholwithoysters as the
two don’t mix well. One glass of fizz is perfect.
PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVID CHARBIT
INTHISNEWSERIES,CJJACKSON,SHELLFISHUKAMBASSADORANDPRINCIPAL
OFTHESEAFOODSCHOOLATBILLINGSGATE(SEAFOODTRAINING.ORG),DELIVERS
KEY SKILLS IN CHOOSING, PREPPING AND COOKING FISH AND SEAFOOD.
READEROFFER
CJwillbeshuckingoystersandgivinga tastingatTheSeafood
SchoolatBillingsgate,LondonE14,onValentine’sDay,Friday
14 February.Tobookforthediscountedpriceof£70(normally
£75)fora couple,call 02075173548 andmentiondelicious.
112 deliciousmagazine.co.uk