An oyster knife is a triangular, blunt, and short knife with a non-slip handle used to open oysters. It’s available in kitchen supply stores and fishmongers and is easy to use. To open an oyster, the blade is wedged close to the hinge, twisted, and then used to cut the muscle that holds the shell. It’s recommended to scrub oysters before opening and to hold them with a towel to avoid injury.
An oyster knife is a knife specially designed for the purpose of opening oysters. It’s an absolute must if you want to make oysters, and it helps with other shellfish too. Most kitchen supply stores sell oyster knives, and they are also often available from fishmongers. They are generally inexpensive and very easy to care for, making them a worthy addition to your kitchen supplies.
The shape of the blade on an oyster knife varies, although the blade is often triangular. It is also blunt, reducing the risk of injury, short and very thick. A well-made oyster knife will have a thick, comfortable handle made from a non-slip material such as textured silicone. This ensures that cooks can comfortably hold and use the oyster shucking knife without worrying about hurting themselves.
The process of opening an oyster can be difficult, because most oysters reflexively freeze when they sense something wants to eat them. This is an understandable response that is shared by all shellfish, and unfortunately for cooks, shellfish should only be used when it is alive at the time of cooking, to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. As a result, it is often necessary to wedge opened shellfish, unless they are being prepared whole.
To use an oyster knife, the blade is wedged into the shell very close to the hinge at the narrow end of the shell. Some pressure may be required to enter, and once the blade is penetrated, it is twisted to encourage the shell to open. After the shell has been pryed off, the top shell can be removed and the oyster knife can be used to cut through the strip of muscle that holds the shell attached. Then, the oyster is ready for eating or cooking.
Many people recommend scrubbing oysters before opening them, to avoid transferring potential bacteria into the oyster when you open it. It helps to do this under running water, then refrigerate the oysters on a platter for about an hour to promote relaxation of the muscles that hold the shell closed. It’s also a good idea to hold an oyster in a towel when you shake it, rather than with your bare hands. This will protect you from the sharp edges of the shell, along with shell fragments that could break off when the shell is opened. It will also protect your hand if the blade slips as you shake.
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