Learn how to shuck oysters from a pro
Virtual class with champion shucker teaches tips, technique
The box of briny bivalves arrived on an exceptionally sweltering Friday afternoon.
I had been eyeing the door for hours, worrying that my shipment of Prince Edward Island oysters would sit outside in the hot Florida sun for hours without my noticing.
Sure enough, between walking my dog and juggling Zoom meetings and phone interviews, I somehow managed to miss the delivery. Who knows how long the box, clearly marked PERISHABLE, sat on my front porch, but the top was already very warm to the touch, and that seemed less than ideal.
Thankfully, I found the oysters tucked inside a large white cooler with enough icy gel packs to keep them chilled for days. Still, I scrambled to get them out of the cooler and into the fridge, where they sat for another three days. Even this step gave me some hesitation. Would they still be safe to eat?
If there’s one thing I learned while taking the Social Shell’s PEI Oyster Masterclass, it’s that Prince Edward Island oysters can last an entire month in the fridge.
This is because PEI’S home base, the chilly Canadian waters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, provides a prime breeding ground for the filter feeders. The oysters live under the ice for a third of their lifespan and are well-adjusted to the cold. Once refrigerated, the bivalves go into a hibernation state and can last for four weeks after their harvest date.
It should come as no surprise, then, that PEI oysters are a highdemand export and perfect for shipping. They’ll travel just as well from Bangkok to Sydney as they will to, say, Florida in the middle of June.
I learned all this and so much more during the course, which was led by world champion oyster shucker and Toronto native Patrick Mcmurray, also known as “Shucker Paddy.” Mcmurray holds the Guinness World Record for oyster shucking after shucking an impressive 39 — yes, 39 — oysters in one minute.
Spearheaded by Canada’s Food Island, an organization tasked with growing the food industry of Prince Edward Island, the master classes are free to anyone who registers on the Social Shell website at thesocialshell.com. Sourcing PEI oysters for home delivery can be slightly trickier, depending on the time of year.
Really, if you’re at all interested in oysters, you’ll love this class. I found it wildly informative and entertaining, and a lovely way to spend a Tuesday evening with a glass of bubbly.
Mcmurray’s depth of knowledge on the subject was impressive, and participants received a detailed history on oysters and aquaculture operations, oyster
classification and tasting notes before the fun even got started.
He also offered several tips on oyster purchasing, involving touch (give them a good tap; if they sound hollow, skip them) and smell (you want “happy” smells of seaweed, freshwater and ocean, not “unhappy” wafts of rotten eggs or fermented foods).
The highlight of the class was Mcmurray’s tutorial on shucking, which he punctuated with several jovial cheers to the camera as he sipped rosé out of a tumbler.
Wielding a curved oyster knife and donning a silver mesh metal shucking glove, Mcmurray proceeded to teach us how to deftly pop the oyster with a flick of the wrist before carefully
prying it open. It looked easy when he did it, but my first attempt was less than perfect. By the third oyster, I was beginning to feel more confident, and by the fifth or sixth, I was ready to call myself a pro.
The only thing left to do was shuck, slurp and savor.
How to shuck an oyster
Prepare a baking sheet or something you can shuck the oysters over. Grab a damp towel or cloth and fold it in half and then fold it one more time. Hold the teardrop-shaped oyster with the point pointing toward you — this is called the hinge — and nestle the oyster in the doubledup cloth, exposing only the hinge.
Place one hand on top of the towel to hold it firmly in place.
Using an oyster knife (a regular butter knife will do in a pinch), turn the knife like “a key in a lock,” as Mcmurray said. Wiggle the knife until the shell pops open and then scrape around the top shell until it detaches. Clean any grit off the oyster using the tip of the knife or a brush, taking care to keep as much of the delicious oyster liquor in the shell as possible.
Take the knife and scrape away at the inductor muscle at the bottom shell half until the oyster is freed and slides around easily. Give the oyster a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or your preferred topping and enjoy.
How to store an oyster
Oysters can be left in the box in the fridge or in a bowl, covered by a tea towel. Don’t put them on ice, though. The ice will eventually melt, and having the oysters submerged in water for too long can damage their flavor and kill them. Right before serving, wash the oysters under cold, running water and submerge in an ice bath for approximately 15 minutes — this will ensure the oysters are chilled to the perfect temperature before shucking.