Fresh oysters are tasty, however they can also be tough to open. The normal tool is the good old shucking knife, (and even then opening oysters can be a little awkward if you don’t know what you are doing).
However, what if you don’t have one of those? Well this video can lend a helping hand. By the end of it you will be able to access the oyster from the front of the shell using a standard paring knife.
As Chef Grant Lee Crilly explains, opening the oyster from the hinge can be compared to prying open a locked door with a crowbar. Brute force is required and if you slip, you might do yourself harm.
With the method shown in the video, using a paring knife on the oyster is akin to picking the lock.
Instead of using a shucking knife to force the oyster at the hinge, you use the paring knife inside the front crack in order to sever the adductor muscle. Simply slide the blade inside and gently wiggle until the muscle is no more.
Then hey presto – the oyster will pop open and reveal its lovely tender center for you to enjoy.
How To Shuck An Oyster With A Paring Knife
Our Top Pick Paring Knife For 2016
The Victorinox Swiss Army 3-1/4-Inch Fibrox Straight Edge Paring Knife earned the Sharpen-up coveted top spot in our best paring knife round up review for 2016.
It has everything you want in a good paring knife; lightweight, easy to handle, very sharp and extremely affordable. An essential purchase if you are looking for reliable answer to your paring needs, as well as an alternative method for shucking oysters.
