TOP 3 TIPS TO SHUCK A PERFECT OYSTER

Perfect Shucks By The Oyster Ninja

Earlier this week I was so bored out of my mind I made a video of something I thought was so simple at the time.  During the video I realized this was actually a great idea for a blog post.  In the video I break down three ways to shuck an oyster properly.

The first tip in shucking properly is knowing what your oyster shucking knife will actually do. So for these particular styles I went for a strong knife, a stabbing but sturdy knife and a traditional Chesapeake stabbing knife. A strong knife is good for a harder shell and especially wild oysters. The stabbing knife but sturdy is good for a farm raised oyster but with a sturdy hinge. Last but not least the traditional Chesapeake Bay stabbing knife is specifically made for going through the mouth of the oyster.

The second tip is to know what type of oyster you will be shucking. You can find this out by asking a couple questions, starting with is this oyster a farmed or wild oyster? Next you want to figure out is the hinge sturdy or not? To make it easy look for any decaying shell or fungus growing on the back of the shell. Last but not least if the shell of the oyster is misshaped this could make it harder to shuck. A good example of a misshaped oyster comes from island creek oyster company. Its been a few years since I’ve shucked them, but back then they were notorious for having a hook in the shell.

The tip and final step is to check out the video. If you have any other questions feel free to email me. Im also including my amazon affiliate link to pick up one of my favorite oyster knives.

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Who is This Oyster Ninja???

Hello and thank you for checking out “Thoughts From The Ninja” blog.  My name is Gardner Douglas and I’m just your average “JOE” who happens to be a Nationally Ranked Oyster Shucker and ARMY veteran.  You can find me “Making Oysters Great Again” all over the DMV as your local shucker for hire.  You can also find me talking about my world and the people who drop in on The Oyster Ninja Podcast.

“Making Oysters Great Again” is bigger than Donald Trumps slogan re-worded.  To a humble shucker from the Eastern Shore of Virginia it’s a olive branch to bring everyone together with bivalves.  Oysters have placed me in conversations and rooms I would’ve never dreamed of.  I’ve took selfies with governors, shucked for the Obama’s, and gave a 18 month old her first oyster.  Some would say “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” and that was my thought process coming back from Afghanistan. 

You don’t need to be a oyster expert to follow along on this journey.  This blog is about oysters but it also will include the discussion of raw bars, foodie festivals, non-profits, etc.  Be prepared to read about the worlds fastest Oyster Shucker and the next week about Ocean Acidification.  You don’t need to be a oyster expert but I hope you are willing to ride the wave.  Again thanks for taking time out to read this first post and I hope you enjoy the journey.