Are oysters difficult to prepare?!
My boyfriend and I had some amaaaazing battered oysters at the weekend and I really want to make them for him at home with a sweet chilli sauce!.
However, I'm sooo scared of the shucking part and checking if they're good or bad!.!.!. Is it that if they're slightly open they're bad or the other way round!? Or am I getting them mixed up with mussels!?
It's so confuuusing!.
How do I prepare oysters before dropping them into the batter and deep frying them!?
If you guys can't help, I'm sure battered king prawns with my famous sweet and sour sauce will go down a treat!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
However, I'm sooo scared of the shucking part and checking if they're good or bad!.!.!. Is it that if they're slightly open they're bad or the other way round!? Or am I getting them mixed up with mussels!?
It's so confuuusing!.
How do I prepare oysters before dropping them into the batter and deep frying them!?
If you guys can't help, I'm sure battered king prawns with my famous sweet and sour sauce will go down a treat!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Hope this helps!. and you are not confused!. You are an awesome girlfriend for preparing oysters for your boyfriend!. I love oysters!!!
* If an oyster knife is unavailable, use a thin, short, dull knife!. Do not use a sharp kitchen knife!.
* Access to cool running water!.
* A bowl to catch the liquor from the shell when opening!.
* A towel that can be used to protect your hand while opening the shell!. A heavy work glove will also protect your hand!.
Check for Freshness
* Oysters are at their best if they are no more than four days old!. Ask your fish monger for the harvest date!.
* When at the market, the oysters should be stored in or on ice!.
* Unless they have been shucked and frozen, oysters should be alive when you buy and cook them!. If the shell is tightly closed, it is still alive!. If the shell is slightly open, it should close promptly when tapped!. If the shell is open and does not close when tapped, throw it out!.
* Throw out any oysters that have broken shells!.
Preparing Oysters
If you are not going to cook the oysters immediately, clean the shells with a kitchen brush, place in a bowl, cover the bowl with a damp towel and refrigerate!. Oysters will keep for 2 to 3 days; however, they are best when cooked as soon as possible!. Shucked oysters that have not been cooked can be stored in their liquor, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days!.
If you are cooking oysters in the shell, do not open and remove the oyster from the shell!. Wash the oysters with a stiff kitchen brush under cool running water and remove any hard encrustations from the shell with a rigid kitchen knife!.
Never eat an oyster whose shell is not open after cooking!.
Opening Oysters
Before you begin: Chill the oysters in the freezer for an hour or longer to make them easier to open!. When you remove the oysters from the freezer, allow them to rest for a few minutes before inserting the clam knife between the top shell and bottom shell!.
Scrub oysters under cool running water using a stiff kitchen brush!. Scrape any hard encrustations from the shell with a rigid kitchen knife!.
Over a bowl, hold the oyster firmly in your hand and insert the oyster knife between the top shell and bottom shell!. A towel can be used to protect your hand, or a heavy work glove!. Twist the knife to pry the halves apart!. Work the knife around to the hinge muscle and cut through it!. The bowl will catch the liquor from the oyster!.
Open the shell!. Holding the deeper shell downward, slide the knife between the oyster and the top shell!. Detach the oyster from the top shell!. Slip the knife under the oyster and remove it from the bottom shell!.
You are now ready to prepare the oyster!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
* If an oyster knife is unavailable, use a thin, short, dull knife!. Do not use a sharp kitchen knife!.
* Access to cool running water!.
* A bowl to catch the liquor from the shell when opening!.
* A towel that can be used to protect your hand while opening the shell!. A heavy work glove will also protect your hand!.
Check for Freshness
* Oysters are at their best if they are no more than four days old!. Ask your fish monger for the harvest date!.
* When at the market, the oysters should be stored in or on ice!.
* Unless they have been shucked and frozen, oysters should be alive when you buy and cook them!. If the shell is tightly closed, it is still alive!. If the shell is slightly open, it should close promptly when tapped!. If the shell is open and does not close when tapped, throw it out!.
* Throw out any oysters that have broken shells!.
Preparing Oysters
If you are not going to cook the oysters immediately, clean the shells with a kitchen brush, place in a bowl, cover the bowl with a damp towel and refrigerate!. Oysters will keep for 2 to 3 days; however, they are best when cooked as soon as possible!. Shucked oysters that have not been cooked can be stored in their liquor, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days!.
If you are cooking oysters in the shell, do not open and remove the oyster from the shell!. Wash the oysters with a stiff kitchen brush under cool running water and remove any hard encrustations from the shell with a rigid kitchen knife!.
Never eat an oyster whose shell is not open after cooking!.
Opening Oysters
Before you begin: Chill the oysters in the freezer for an hour or longer to make them easier to open!. When you remove the oysters from the freezer, allow them to rest for a few minutes before inserting the clam knife between the top shell and bottom shell!.
Scrub oysters under cool running water using a stiff kitchen brush!. Scrape any hard encrustations from the shell with a rigid kitchen knife!.
Over a bowl, hold the oyster firmly in your hand and insert the oyster knife between the top shell and bottom shell!. A towel can be used to protect your hand, or a heavy work glove!. Twist the knife to pry the halves apart!. Work the knife around to the hinge muscle and cut through it!. The bowl will catch the liquor from the oyster!.
Open the shell!. Holding the deeper shell downward, slide the knife between the oyster and the top shell!. Detach the oyster from the top shell!. Slip the knife under the oyster and remove it from the bottom shell!.
You are now ready to prepare the oyster!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
When your oysters are live, if they're in the shell, they will be closed tight, or will at least snap shut when you tap them!. They open up when you boil or steam them, or if you use an oyster knife to shuck them!. You'll want to shuck them!. Once they're shucked, you drain them on paper towel, then dip them into the batter and deep fry!.
Here's a how to for the shucking!.
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Here's a how to for the shucking!.
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No, they are not hard to prepare!. Shucking oysters is pretty easy, a small stout knife will do the trick!. You can actually get oysters pre shucked, they come packed in they're own juice or "liqueur"!. The best way to prepare them for deep frying is to drain them and roll them in either corn starch or flour, you can season the flour mix and they come out really good!. I go for just a bit of salt, white pepper, dried cilantro, and a little chinese five spice!.
If you choose to get the whole oyster, and I'm pretty sure they are seasonal, you should like all shell fish stay away from the open shells!. Open a little bit is okay, but gaping is bad!. Of course the rule of thumb is that if it smells bad it is bad!. Keep them cold, and don't try and store them for more than a day or two!. Best if used the day they are bought!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
If you choose to get the whole oyster, and I'm pretty sure they are seasonal, you should like all shell fish stay away from the open shells!. Open a little bit is okay, but gaping is bad!. Of course the rule of thumb is that if it smells bad it is bad!. Keep them cold, and don't try and store them for more than a day or two!. Best if used the day they are bought!. Www@FoodAQ@Com