How to Prepare Rock Oysters

Rock oysters get their name from their tendency to grow on and near rocks. These delicacies make for a perfect meal during the traditional oyster season, which typically runs from September to April, but they can be intimidating for those who have never prepared them before. Rock oysters require an observant eye and a steady hand in order to properly prepare them. Not only can improperly prepared rock oysters taste unpleasant, but according to the Food and Drug Administration, they can potentially cause illness.

• 1

  Sort through the oysters and discard any with broken shells. You also must discard oysters with open shells.

• 2

  Scrub the shells with a stiff bristle brush under cool, running water. Remove as much dirt and sand as possible from the brushes.

• 3

  Wedge a shucking knife between the two halves of the shells just above the hinge point. Insert only the tip of the knife to avoid slicing the oyster.

• 4

  Twist the knife back and forth to break the hinge between the two shell halves. Run the knife along the inside of the top shell to cut the oyster meat away from the shell. Pull the top shell away from the rest of the oyster.

• 5

  Cut the thin muscle that connects the oyster to the bottom shell. This muscle should be about the same length as the hinge that once connected the two shell halves. You should now have a loose oyster sitting in a pool of its natural juices.

• 6

  Remove any broken shell fragments from the oyster, but try to keep as much juice in the shell as possible.