Opening an oyster can be difficult, but with practice and the right tools, it’s simple. Choose live oysters from a reputable fishmonger, clean and chill them, wrap in a towel, insert an oyster knife and open. Keep opened oysters horizontal and on ice to stay fresh.
As some cooks have discovered to their disappointment, it can be difficult to open an oyster instead of your own hand. The basic technique for opening an oyster is very simple and, with a little practice, very simple. Once opened, the oyster can be prepared in a variety of ways or dripped straight from the shell with a squirt of lemon juice and a dash of hot sauce.
Before the oyster opening process begins, it is important to choose good oysters. Oysters should be purchased live from a reputable fishmonger and should be stored on ice or in a cool area of the refrigerator, ideally in a container that allows drainage, such as a colander within a bowl. If an oyster opens on its own, it’s dead and should be discarded. It’s also important to use an oyster knife, a knife specifically designed for opening oysters, to open an oyster, rather than a general purpose knife, which could slip and cut the cook.
Start by selecting an oyster and running it under cold water while scrubbing the shell with a nail brush to remove dirt and other miscellaneous materials. Then, chill the oyster in the freezer for 10 minutes to relax the muscles. This step isn’t required, but it will make opening an oyster much easier.
Once cleaned and cooled, the oyster should be wrapped in a coarse kitchen towel. This will make it easier to keep on the shell, ensuring the oyster doesn’t slip out as it’s being opened. Next, the oyster knife should be inserted between the shell halves, right next to the hinge, with the oyster lying flat so that none of the liquid inside escapes when the oyster is opened.
There are two schools of thought for the next step. Some people prefer to swing the knife around the shell until it reaches the other side of the hinge to loosen the oyster’s muscles, then gently open the shell. Other people prefer to insert the oyster knife deeply initially, then twist or pry it so that the shell opens. The method to use to open an oyster at this stage is purely a matter of preference.
Once opened, the oyster should be kept horizontal to avoid losing the juices and to use it as quickly as possible. If a large amount of oysters are being opened, it may be a good idea to keep the opened oysters on ice while the others are being processed, to keep the oysters as fresh as possible.
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