Copyright irishexaminer
First things first, prepare a dish to provide a stable base to hold the shucked oysters as you open them. If serving them raw I like to use a bed of fresh seaweed or some seashells. Other times, I like to use a muffin tin to hold the oysters as I shuck. Next, fold a clean tea towel in half twice lengthways. This will provide you with much-needed grip and also protect your hand. Select an oyster and place it in the centre of the tea towel, cup side down with the hinge of the oyster facing in the direction of your more dominant hand. The hinge is at the pointed end of the oyster. Fold the towel over the oyster to cover it, leaving the hinge exposed. Place the tip of the oyster knife at the right-hand side of the hinge applying pressure. Twist and wiggle the knife to pop the hinge. Angle the knife towards the cup side of the shell and run your knife towards the top side of the shell. Turn the knife at a 90-degree angle to separate the flat side of the shell from the cup. Run the knife under the adductor muscle of the oyster to detach the oyster from the shell. Remove any shell fragments that might be present. I like to use a small paint brush to fetch away any small pieces of shell. Discard the flatter half of the shell or use it for serving the oysters on.
