Shucking oysters can seem like a tricky task, but following a few simple tips (and video below) from Head Chef Lecturer at our Cookery School in Padstow, Nick Evans makes it rather easy. Follow Nick’s expert guide to learn step-by-step how to shuck oysters easily and safely for you to do at home. Find lots of recipe inspiration here.
You’ll need
- Oyster knife
- Tea towel
Follow this method to shuck an oyster
1. Wrap one hand in a tea towel and hold the oyster in it, flat shell facing uppermost. Push the point of an oyster knife into the hinge, located at the narrowest point.
2. Work the knife back and forth quite forcefully until the hinge breaks and you can slide the knife in between the two shells.
3. Twist the point of the knife upwards to lever up the top shell and locate the ligament that joins the oyster meat to it. It will be slightly right of the centre of the top shell. Cut through it with the knife and lift off the top shell. Keep the bottom shell upright so as not to lose the juices. Release the oyster meat from the bottom shell and pick out any little pieces of shell.
