How to Open Live Oysters

[goodsamaritan]

When I buy oysters they are still muddied up.
So first thing is to brush away the mud with a pail of water.
Then:

1. Use your knife and chip away at the edge of an oyster exposing its gap, opening.
2. Use your knife and jam it in and twist it to open the oyster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAbX4DNVT3A

[wodgina]

Cool! our oysters are tiny compared to thoes giants.

[goodsamaritan]

A more detailed post with photos can be found here
http://www.myhealthblog.org/2009/09/13/how-to-open-oysters-in-pictures-and-video/


Materials for washing oysters: a pail of water and a brush

The oysters I buy at the wet market are still full of mud. I have to ask next time why they don’t clean them up before they sell them to us.


A muddy live oyster

So you get your muddy live oyster and brush it well while dipping it in the pail of water. Use a pail so you don’t waste running water via a faucet. Save water!


Use the brush on the oyster


The oyster is now clean

The oyster is now clean. Now it is time to open the oyster:

1. Use your knife and chip away at the edge of an oyster exposing its gap, opening.
2. Use your knife and jam it in and twist it to open the oyster.


Clip the oyster edge to be able to expose a gap for the knife to go in

See the video for details:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAbX4DNVT3A



Oyster opened

Ta dahh… the oyster is now open and ready to eat! Raw of course. You want that zinc to be bio available don’t you? For the germ phobic, just dip your oyster in some organic vinegar or squeeze a lemon over it.

from http://www.myhealthblog.org/2009/09/13/how-to-open-oysters-in-pictures-and-video/

[invisible]

nice Queen playing in the background

[PaleoPhil]

My local healthfood market had oysters for sale today--first time I've ever seen them sold anywhere. I used your opening method, GS. The shells shattered and there were some shell bits in 2 of the 3 I ate. If I swallowed any I guess it's extra mineral nutrition.

The water in the oyster is a bit too salty for me, but the flesh is nicely tender and other than the salt the mild flavor was very good, and they hold together well and come out of the shell easily even when raw. I can see why they are the favorite of the shellfish to eat raw.

I also tried the wild scallops. They taste better raw than cooked (cooked taste to bitter and tough to me), but there's still a slightly off taste and they're slightly mushy, so I'm still not a huge fan--not as good as most of the fish in a sashimi platter, but better than raw shrimp (which are very mushy). Maybe it just takes getting used to. By drinking mead with it instead of water I was able to enjoy it more.

Mussels and shrimp are the only foods so far that I've encountered that taste way, way better to me cooked than raw, and mussels are much easier to eat cooked than raw. When raw, they stick to the shells and come apart in pieces and taste swampy. When cooked they taste scrumptous, hold together, come out of the shell easily and the swampiness is completely eradicated. I could eat 1000 steamed mussels or shrimp, but one raw one is one too many.  Oh well, I guess it's oysters for me when it comes to raw shellfish, and the occasional wild clams, which are too tiny to deal with most of the time. Sorry if this upsets anyone. I try to be always honest.

If wild clams were bigger, they would be my favorite shellfish to eat raw.

[Sully]

I tried raw clams for the first time yesterday. Had a bitter taste. Didn't know what to think of that, didn't really like them either. They were live and wild caught. 3.99 a pound.

I do like big scallops. Not the tiny ones.

I still haven't tasted oysters yet.

[RawZi]

... raw clams for the first time yesterday. Had a bitter taste. Didn't know what to think of that, didn't really like them ...

    That's why they add lemon I think .. to cut the bitter taste.  Oysters and scallops do taste better than clams do.  I like lemon on oyster and urchin, to cut the bitter taste of urchin and salty taste of oyster.

[goodsamaritan]

I tried raw clams for the first time yesterday. Had a bitter taste. Didn't know what to think of that, didn't really like them either. They were live and wild caught. 3.99 a pound.

I do like big scallops. Not the tiny ones.

I still haven't tasted oysters yet.

Why that no good seller sold you MALE clams.  Male clams always taste bitter.  They have to be separated from female clams.  Only the female clams taste good.

[Sully]

Why that no good seller sold you MALE clams.  Male clams always taste bitter.  They have to be separated from female clams.  Only the female clams taste good.

Interesting, it was in a supermarket called Sendiks. I'm sure it was a mix of both male and female.

[alphagruis]

Mussels and shrimp are the only foods so far that I've encountered that taste way, way better to me cooked than raw, and mussels are much easier to eat cooked than raw. When raw, they stick to the shells and come apart in pieces and taste swampy. When cooked they taste scrumptous, hold together, come out of the shell easily and the swampiness is completely eradicated. I could eat 1000 steamed mussels or shrimp, but one raw one is one too many.  Oh well, I guess it's oysters for me when it comes to raw shellfish, and the occasional wild clams, which are too tiny to deal with most of the time. Sorry if this upsets anyone. I try to be always honest.

Raw fresh living mussels turn into a quite tasty and delicious food when left in the fridge for a few days until the valves are no longer closed. The animal has then died and there is not need to open the shells  . Left even a few days more at temperatures below 5°C, they rot progressively and become usually even more tasty depending on rotting time and temperature.

[PaleoPhil]

   That's why they add lemon I think .. to cut the bitter taste.  Oysters and scallops do taste better than clams do.  I like lemon on oyster and urchin, to cut the bitter taste of urchin and salty taste of oyster.

I just remembered I've only tasted wild clams steamed so far (though I've tried farmed clams on the half shell and recall liking them somewhat). Wild clams taste great to me when lightly steamed--much better than raw oysters--so if they taste worse than oysters when raw that's another reason for me to not bother with raw clams, in addition to being too tiny to bother smashing open, although maybe the rotting technique would be worth a try.

Steamed mussels taste better to me than just about any other seafood, which was why I was surprised at how nasty they tasted raw. Maybe I'll try the rotting suggestion.

I think I may wash or soak the raw oysters in tap water to get rid of the salty taste. Why do people say to not do this and why do they say to be careful not to spill that nasty saltwater? It reminds me of when I was forced to gargle saltwater as a kid when I got a cold--yuck!

[Sully]

Doesn't salt water from the ocean have a bitter taste?

I don't like rinsing food in tap water where I am from (fluoride, chlorine etc.). I would rather use some filtered water or spring water.

[TylerDurden]

Raw fresh living mussels turn into a quite tasty and delicious food when left in the fridge for a few days until the valves are no longer closed. The animal has then died and there is not need to open the shells  . Left even a few days more at temperatures below 5°C, they rot progressively and become usually even more tasty depending on rotting time and temperature.

 My experience is that it's best to eat the raw mussels(and other raw shellfish) within 2-3 days after leaving them in the fridge. Left longer than that, the flesh of the shellfish starts shrinking heavily so that, after 10 days, the flesh is a pale shadow of its former self(no doubt due to water leaking away gradually along with multiple nutrients in it). I actually like the taste of fresh,raw mussels now though it took time for me to get used to such anacquired taste.

Incidentally, when getting used to the raw mussels, what I would commonly do is crack them open with a metal walnut-cracker, then tear the flesh out with my teeth and put the flesh in a glass. After depositing a very large number of raw mussel-flesh in the pint-glass, I would upend the glass with my hand covering the top, and leach the saltwater from it that way.

[goodsamaritan]

Raw fresh living mussels turn into a quite tasty and delicious food when left in the fridge for a few days until the valves are no longer closed. The animal has then died and there is not need to open the shells  . Left even a few days more at temperatures below 5°C, they rot progressively and become usually even more tasty depending on rotting time and temperature.

Selling dead clams or mussels is a no no in our markets.
And when people cook clams or mussels, dead ones are thrown away.
Filipinos have the impression that dead clams or mussels are unhealthy and will make people sick.
Somehow I'm not so adventurous with this suggestion and be too afraid to try rotting mussels.

[alphagruis]

Selling dead clams or mussels is a no no in our markets.
And when people cook clams or mussels, dead ones are thrown away.
Filipinos have the impression that dead clams or mussels are unhealthy and will make people sick.
Somehow I'm not so adventurous with this suggestion and be too afraid to try rotting mussels.

Sure, only live mussels are allowed for sale in the markets, here in France too.

As Tyler, I often eat them fresh and live and I like it this way, in particular the little bitterness. Yet they get usually much more tasty after 2 or 3 days or sometimes more in the fridge. As long as they smell and taste attractive I think we can eat them and I do it and have never observed any adverse effects. On the contrary, they are very easily digested. When left in the fridge for a longer time they either more or less dry and there is not much left to eat, as pointed out by Tyler, or they rot to such an extent that they smell repulsive if the atmosphere in the fridge is too wet. At this latter stage I don't eat them of course.

I can't see why such "aged" mussels might be more harmful to raw paleo dieters than high meat or "aged" meat.  

[RawZi]

... When left in the fridge for a longer time they either more or less dry and there is not much left to eat, as pointed out by Tyler, or they rot to such an extent that they smell repulsive if the atmosphere in the fridge is too wet. At this latter stage I don't eat them of course.

I can't see why such "aged" mussels might be more harmful to raw paleo dieters than high meat or "aged" meat.  

    Do you think it makes a difference to age them still in shell or cut out of shell?  If out of shell, do you think it's better to cut each into (smaller) pieces first before aging them?

[alphagruis]

   Do you think it makes a difference to age them still in shell or cut out of shell?  If out of shell, do you think it's better to cut each into (smaller) pieces first before aging them?

I've never tried to do so and always left them in their shells, RawZi. In this way I don't have to open them, most of them open by themselves after a couple of days. They then simultanenously dry and rot slowly in aerobic conditions when stored in a fairly thin layer with the juices drained.

I guess that cut into pieces out of shell and soaked in their own juices in a container they'll rot much faster with probably different bacteria in anaerobic conditions. I don't know how long this remains edible. When out of shell, maybe an alternative option is just to age by drying a little bit the whole soft part of the animal without cutting in pieces.    

[PaleoPhil]

Incidentally, when getting used to the raw mussels, what I would commonly do is crack them open with a metal walnut-cracker, then tear the flesh out with my teeth and put the flesh in a glass. After depositing a very large number of raw mussel-flesh in the pint-glass, I would upend the glass with my hand covering the top, and leach the saltwater from it that way.

Why do it that way instead of rinsing or soaking the mussel flesh? Are there nutrients in the water or on the surface of the flesh that get washed away?

Interestingly, the mussels I ate didn't have a salty taste. Are there any freshwater mussel farming operations?

[TylerDurden]

Why do it that way instead of rinsing or soaking the mussel flesh? Are there nutrients in the water or on the surface of the flesh that get washed away?

That would mean using London tapwater which isn't exactly healthy, I would never consider washing any of my raw foods in it.

Interestingly, the mussels I ate didn't have a salty taste. Are there any freshwater mussel farming operations?

I doubt it.
[/quote]

[PaleoPhil]

 My experience is that it's best to eat the raw mussels(and other raw shellfish) within 2-3 days after leaving them in the fridge....

I tried the 3 day old raw mussels and unfortunately still cannot stand them. I've learned that mussels is one of my tastiest foods when steamed, but I hate them when raw. I'll stick to oysters when it comes to raw shellfish.

[RawZi]

... I've learned that mussels is one of my tastiest foods when steamed, but I hate them when raw. ...

    I'm with you on that all the way, so I avoid mussels.

    I have to find an oyster knife.  I've never used one.  I tried with a regular knife once on clam.  I'm so chicken.

[goodsamaritan]

How to eat Gigantic Raw Oysters

Eating raw meat is a delicious experience. Raw organic vinegar used here has live probiotic bacteria. Raw oysters here have the highest bio-available zinc. Who needs supplements when we have access to real super nutritious raw animal food? My 8 year old boy demonstrates how to eat gigantic raw oysters from Iloilo.

We first remove the oysters from the plastic bag. Do not wash the oysters. Get a dipping bowl with organic vinegar like Lola Conching’s vinegar. Dip a couple of oysters in just to be safe to disinfect them from possible bad organisms. Then use your chopsticks to pop oysters one by one in your mouth. What fun!











From http://www.eczemacure.info/blog/2009/12/24/how-to-eat-gigantic-raw-oysters/

[TylerDurden]

You know, GS, I've mostly been very envious of you, given the vast variety of raw foods you have available in the Phillipines, with, seemingly, no stupid laws to ban any specific foods. However, in this case, I have an advantage over you - the extra-large raw oysters I routinely get in the UK are FAR larger than anything you've shown in this picture.

[goodsamaritan]

Ha ha ha, please post a picture of the large UK oysters.

Maybe when I visit my cousin in his far province I can get to take a picture of their famed Aba Aba oysters which he says are as large as a hand.

[TylerDurden]

Ha ha ha, please post a picture of the large UK oysters.

Maybe when I visit my cousin in his far province I can get to take a picture of their famed Aba Aba oysters which he says are as large as a hand.

No (functional) camera right now, but I will make an effort to post photos on this forum by next summer, probably.