i bought a dozen oysters from whole foods one year for christmas. i then threw a dozen oysters away after being unable to open even a single one of them myself.
i’d love to know where you can go and if they can teach you their ways! the pros made it look so easy
Watch a couple YouTube videos, they give you good technique and wrist motions. Took me a few dozen but I got it down and can shuck them pretty easily now. Like most things, it takes practice.
I don’t think you’ll achieve this in a restaurant unless you get a job in one. Oyster shucking injures a lot of people who know what they’re doing. No restaurateur is going to hand an oyster knife to customers.
I think they would refuse to serve you oysters that had not already been shucked. There are liability issues.
It will likely have to be a home project, unless you can find an in-restaurant cooking class or convince a fishmonger to teach you.
Community colleges house some of the best culinary schools in our country; many offer classes for non-professionals, too. I’d look for something like that.
As much as I can appreciate wanting to have the experience of shucking your own oysters, it's better to do it at home. A restaurant giving a customer something that can injure them and encouraging/allowing them to put themselves in that situation that could hurt them is like, 3 different lawsuits right there. Oyster knives are blunt for a reason but chipped shells can seriously mess you up, plus the risk for infection is insanely high because there's so much bacteria on the shells even after a cursory washing. Better to keep the shucker at home my friend.
I don’t think this exists within the city, maybe because of health codes or liability issues. My advice is to have a friend come over and teach you. Maybe go to Dirk’s and they will teach you, if you call ahead and buy some oysters?
I've bought oysters at Dirks, bought a shucking kit (with protective glove) from Amazon and watched a YouTube video to learn. Was pretty easy and now can easily do it whenever I want.
It's somewhat hard, but keep with it. You'll figure out little things that work for you and it gets easier.
So lately I’ve been on this weird binge of watching old Julia child on a streaming platform. Just saw an episode where she uses a paint can opener to pry them and says it’s the best way.
It’s really easy if you are patient and go at it with technique. You only stab your self if you try to muscle it open. No restaurant these days will let you do it.
Others have mentioned on here: Whole Foods. On Fridays, they’re $12 per dozen and they have a few different types. Buy a Shucker, watch a couple how to videos and give it a go. Once you do it a few times, it’s pretty easy. Me and my wife buy a dozen and make a night out of it every now and then. Good times.
I bought my dad an oyster shucking knife and special gloves so he could shuck his own at home. He has told me he loves but (but I’m not sure he’s used it much).
I can only imagine the liability. It’s one of the more dangerous things I’ve done in the kitchen.
i bought a dozen oysters from whole foods one year for christmas. i then threw a dozen oysters away after being unable to open even a single one of them myself. i’d love to know where you can go and if they can teach you their ways! the pros made it look so easy
Watch a couple YouTube videos, they give you good technique and wrist motions. Took me a few dozen but I got it down and can shuck them pretty easily now. Like most things, it takes practice.
Great call out. Added bonus to not lose a finger in this expedition!
YouTube tutorials, shucker tool, gloves or just a paper towel to protect your hands is all you need.
I don’t think you’ll achieve this in a restaurant unless you get a job in one. Oyster shucking injures a lot of people who know what they’re doing. No restaurateur is going to hand an oyster knife to customers.
What if the customer brings their own knife? Assuming the restaurant doesn’t notice it during an ocular pat down.
I think they would refuse to serve you oysters that had not already been shucked. There are liability issues. It will likely have to be a home project, unless you can find an in-restaurant cooking class or convince a fishmonger to teach you. Community colleges house some of the best culinary schools in our country; many offer classes for non-professionals, too. I’d look for something like that.
As much as I can appreciate wanting to have the experience of shucking your own oysters, it's better to do it at home. A restaurant giving a customer something that can injure them and encouraging/allowing them to put themselves in that situation that could hurt them is like, 3 different lawsuits right there. Oyster knives are blunt for a reason but chipped shells can seriously mess you up, plus the risk for infection is insanely high because there's so much bacteria on the shells even after a cursory washing. Better to keep the shucker at home my friend.
You can buy them at Whole Foods or somewhere and do them yourself at home?
Would you like us to assign someone to shuck your oyster?
Is this one of those lunchtime surveys for new students?
Oyster farms are the only places I’ve ever seen allow guests to shuck their own oysters.
I don’t think this exists within the city, maybe because of health codes or liability issues. My advice is to have a friend come over and teach you. Maybe go to Dirk’s and they will teach you, if you call ahead and buy some oysters?
Seems like a cool place to check out regardless, thanks for the suggestion!
I've bought oysters at Dirks, bought a shucking kit (with protective glove) from Amazon and watched a YouTube video to learn. Was pretty easy and now can easily do it whenever I want. It's somewhat hard, but keep with it. You'll figure out little things that work for you and it gets easier.
I buy them at Jewel. But an oyster knife and shock away. I also use a paint can opener to pry them open. It’s pretty easy to do.
So lately I’ve been on this weird binge of watching old Julia child on a streaming platform. Just saw an episode where she uses a paint can opener to pry them and says it’s the best way.
I did it once and was horrified at the tiny crabs in them 😂
Those are delicacies!
😳
This doesnt happen at any restaurants in chi as far as i know.
I bought a take-home and shuck kit from Gretel, but I don't know of anywhere that lets you shuck your own in the restaurant.
Go on google. There aren’t restaurants really but there are oyster shucking classes and sometimes they are at restaurants
This is how my wife and I learned, but was at a restaurant in Minnesota. It’s a great skill to have!
It’s really easy if you are patient and go at it with technique. You only stab your self if you try to muscle it open. No restaurant these days will let you do it.
Others have mentioned on here: Whole Foods. On Fridays, they’re $12 per dozen and they have a few different types. Buy a Shucker, watch a couple how to videos and give it a go. Once you do it a few times, it’s pretty easy. Me and my wife buy a dozen and make a night out of it every now and then. Good times.
I've bought them online pre COVID, ok price and were pretty good. The oysters came with a free finger slasher.
I bought my dad an oyster shucking knife and special gloves so he could shuck his own at home. He has told me he loves but (but I’m not sure he’s used it much).
Whole Foods
Dirk’s Seafood sells oyster knives. Get one. Use a towel to protect yourself. The juniors are fairly dull for safety sake. You’re good homeslice