How To – shuck oysters

hi I’m Pete from Jamie’s food team and

hi I’m Pete from Jamie’s food team and today I’m going to show you how to shuck

today I’m going to show you how to shuck

today I’m going to show you how to shuck an oyster

an oyster

an oyster now this smoked oyster then as you can

now this smoked oyster then as you can

now this smoked oyster then as you can see it’s got two shells facing one

see it’s got two shells facing one

see it’s got two shells facing one another tightly clamped together and

another tightly clamped together and

another tightly clamped together and what we’re gonna do is put a knife in

what we’re gonna do is put a knife in

what we’re gonna do is put a knife in here in between the top shell and the

here in between the top shell and the

here in between the top shell and the bottom shell and price the two shells

bottom shell and price the two shells

bottom shell and price the two shells apart and this oysters still alive they

apart and this oysters still alive they

apart and this oysters still alive they have to be alive if you want to eat them

have to be alive if you want to eat them

have to be alive if you want to eat them safely and so it’s holding on pulling

safely and so it’s holding on pulling

safely and so it’s holding on pulling its shells together it doesn’t want to

its shells together it doesn’t want to

its shells together it doesn’t want to be opened so it’s it’s very tightly shot

be opened so it’s it’s very tightly shot

be opened so it’s it’s very tightly shot so we have to open them in a very

so we have to open them in a very

so we have to open them in a very particular way now you need a special

particular way now you need a special

particular way now you need a special knife to open an oyster this is an

knife to open an oyster this is an

knife to open an oyster this is an oyster knife and as you can see it’s got

oyster knife and as you can see it’s got

oyster knife and as you can see it’s got wooden handle you can grip tightly and

wooden handle you can grip tightly and

wooden handle you can grip tightly and it’s got a very short thick stiff blade

it’s got a very short thick stiff blade

it’s got a very short thick stiff blade which is essential for opening oysters

which is essential for opening oysters

which is essential for opening oysters what you don’t want to use is an

what you don’t want to use is an

what you don’t want to use is an ordinary kitchen knife like that which

ordinary kitchen knife like that which

ordinary kitchen knife like that which is not strong enough and if you try open

is not strong enough and if you try open

is not strong enough and if you try open an oyster with it it will Bend the other

an oyster with it it will Bend the other

an oyster with it it will Bend the other thing you mustn’t use is a sharp kitchen

thing you mustn’t use is a sharp kitchen

thing you mustn’t use is a sharp kitchen knife like this with a sharp edge

knife like this with a sharp edge

knife like this with a sharp edge because firstly it will Bend and you’ll

because firstly it will Bend and you’ll

because firstly it will Bend and you’ll ruin your knife and secondly if you slip

ruin your knife and secondly if you slip

ruin your knife and secondly if you slip I don’t think I have to tell you how

I don’t think I have to tell you how

I don’t think I have to tell you how nicely that will be if the knife goes

nicely that will be if the knife goes

nicely that will be if the knife goes into your hand or your wrist or anything

into your hand or your wrist or anything

into your hand or your wrist or anything like that

moisturize are really they’re made for

moisturize are really they’re made for the job they’re just short thick and

the job they’re just short thick and

the job they’re just short thick and very strong which is what you need when

very strong which is what you need when

very strong which is what you need when you’re opening an oyster the oyster

you’re opening an oyster the oyster

you’re opening an oyster the oyster knives also got this hilt or a shield

knives also got this hilt or a shield

knives also got this hilt or a shield here

here

here so that when you do go into an oyster

so that when you do go into an oyster

so that when you do go into an oyster you protect your knuckles here from the

you protect your knuckles here from the

you protect your knuckles here from the shell now it’s open your oyster you know

shell now it’s open your oyster you know

shell now it’s open your oyster you know hold it in your left hand work the knife

hold it in your left hand work the knife

hold it in your left hand work the knife between the two shells and open them but

between the two shells and open them but

between the two shells and open them but you still need a lot of force to get

you still need a lot of force to get

you still need a lot of force to get this knife in and if it slips even

this knife in and if it slips even

this knife in and if it slips even though there’s the nice blunt

though there’s the nice blunt

though there’s the nice blunt you still don’t want that going into

you still don’t want that going into

you still don’t want that going into your hand so what you do let’s take a

your hand so what you do let’s take a

your hand so what you do let’s take a tea towel fold it up and put it in your

tea towel fold it up and put it in your

tea towel fold it up and put it in your left hand or your right hand if you’re

left hand or your right hand if you’re

left hand or your right hand if you’re left-handed pop the oyster in the middle

left-handed pop the oyster in the middle

left-handed pop the oyster in the middle keep that piece of the cloth folded back

keep that piece of the cloth folded back

keep that piece of the cloth folded back so you can see what you’re doing

so you can see what you’re doing

so you can see what you’re doing but the oyster down on your tray I like

but the oyster down on your tray I like

but the oyster down on your tray I like to open oysters on a tray so that any

to open oysters on a tray so that any

to open oysters on a tray so that any juice that comes out is kept in the tray

juice that comes out is kept in the tray

juice that comes out is kept in the tray if you can do it on a chopping water you

if you can do it on a chopping water you

if you can do it on a chopping water you like but that means some of the juice

like but that means some of the juice

like but that means some of the juice runs all over the table and you have to

runs all over the table and you have to

runs all over the table and you have to clean it out

clean it out

clean it out so easiest and least messy ways to do it

so easiest and least messy ways to do it

so easiest and least messy ways to do it in the tray a lot of people stick the

in the tray a lot of people stick the

in the tray a lot of people stick the knife into the Kings here to open the

knife into the Kings here to open the

knife into the Kings here to open the oyster but I find it’s slightly easier

oyster but I find it’s slightly easier

oyster but I find it’s slightly easier if you put into the edge so look for the

if you put into the edge so look for the

if you put into the edge so look for the bit where the two shells join and you

bit where the two shells join and you

bit where the two shells join and you can see see that white bit there that’s

can see see that white bit there that’s

can see see that white bit there that’s the upper side of the bottom shell and

the upper side of the bottom shell and

the upper side of the bottom shell and you can see the join just in there and

you can see the join just in there and

you can see the join just in there and that’s where it put your knife tight

that’s where it put your knife tight

that’s where it put your knife tight grip on the oyster push the knife into

grip on the oyster push the knife into

grip on the oyster push the knife into the join then the top shell on the

the join then the top shell on the

the join then the top shell on the bottom shell work your knife in then

bottom shell work your knife in then

bottom shell work your knife in then once you’re in rotate a knife like that

once you’re in rotate a knife like that

once you’re in rotate a knife like that and you cut the join between the top

and you cut the join between the top

and you cut the join between the top Chow and the oyster then you can pull it

Chow and the oyster then you can pull it

Chow and the oyster then you can pull it off

off

off now you often have a little bit of shell

now you often have a little bit of shell

now you often have a little bit of shell that’s broken so you can just pull that

that’s broken so you can just pull that

that’s broken so you can just pull that out there’s your oyster now it’s still

out there’s your oyster now it’s still

out there’s your oyster now it’s still stuck to the bottom shell so what you

stuck to the bottom shell so what you

stuck to the bottom shell so what you need to do is take your knife just

need to do is take your knife just

need to do is take your knife just scrape it free

scrape it free

scrape it free on the bottom she’ll see a rooster he’s

on the bottom she’ll see a rooster he’s

on the bottom she’ll see a rooster he’s nice and ready to eat and try and keep

nice and ready to eat and try and keep

nice and ready to eat and try and keep the showers at level as you can to keep

the showers at level as you can to keep

the showers at level as you can to keep as much of the oyster juice in the shell

as much of the oyster juice in the shell

as much of the oyster juice in the shell as possible because that’s really quite

as possible because that’s really quite

as possible because that’s really quite tasty and then you pop it on the ice so

tasty and then you pop it on the ice so

tasty and then you pop it on the ice so same as before knife goes in slightly on

same as before knife goes in slightly on

same as before knife goes in slightly on the side and to wiggle it in twist it

the side and to wiggle it in twist it

the side and to wiggle it in twist it push the top shell off then once you get

push the top shell off then once you get

push the top shell off then once you get a gap you can wear it with slowly the

a gap you can wear it with slowly the

a gap you can wear it with slowly the knife down the shell and pull top shell

knife down the shell and pull top shell

knife down the shell and pull top shell off the oyster here we go

off the oyster here we go

off the oyster here we go scrape any bits of shell out there and

scrape any bits of shell out there and

scrape any bits of shell out there and just loose it from the bottom and that’s

just loose it from the bottom and that’s

just loose it from the bottom and that’s your oyster ready to eat here we go so

your oyster ready to eat here we go so

your oyster ready to eat here we go so these oysters just been freshly opened I

these oysters just been freshly opened I

these oysters just been freshly opened I like to serve them pretty much right

like to serve them pretty much right

like to serve them pretty much right away but you can open a few ahead of

away but you can open a few ahead of

away but you can open a few ahead of time if you want to get started and then

time if you want to get started and then

time if you want to get started and then finish off the last few guests arrive

finish off the last few guests arrive

finish off the last few guests arrive that’s not a problem but I wouldn’t do

that’s not a problem but I wouldn’t do

that’s not a problem but I wouldn’t do something like open the day before and

something like open the day before and

something like open the day before and then serve them the next day and that’s

then serve them the next day and that’s

then serve them the next day and that’s how to shuck an oyster