開蠔刀

開蠔刀

HOW TO OPEN AN OYSTER

1. Get a good shucking knife, one with a solid handle and thick blade, and a pair of heavy gloves to protect your hands.
2. Scrub oysters before shucking, if necessary, to remove sand or mud.
3. Set the oyster on a clean towel, on a flat surface, with the deeper, cupped side down. Fold the towel over the oyster to partially cover it, and hold it on the board.
4. Place the point of the knife into the hinge between the top and bottom shell (at the pointed end of the oyster).
5. Twist the blade and pry the oyster open, sliding the blade inside, along the top shell, to release the meat.
6. Separate the top shell from the bottom, then cut the abductor muscle on the bottom shell.
7. Set the shucked oysters on a layer of crushed ice or rock salt to keep them upright, taking care not to lose any of the juicy liquor in the shell.