Shuck If You Must This Old Gray Shell

There’s some truth to the adage that oysters shouldn’t be eaten in months with names lacking an “r”--May, June, July and August. Although still edible, the bivalves spawn in summer and aren’t nearly as plump or tasty.

A more serious concern, however, is the year-round possibility that these mollusks contain bacterial contamination. Like all shellfish, oysters filter food from their environment. Although many oysters are now raised on farms where water conditions can be closely monitored and certified as safe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta continue to warn people who have chronic illnesses such as liver or gastrointestinal diseases, those with AIDS, the elderly, children and pregnant women to eat only thoroughly cooked oysters (and other seafood). Generally, oysters from the Pacific Northwest are thought to be less troublesome than Gulf oysters, which spawn in warmer waters.

Despite knowledge of the hazard, many people savor the velvety texture and sweet yet slightly salty flavor of raw oysters enough to continue eating them straight out of the shell. You can lessen the risk by purchasing your bivalves from a reputable dealer. Ask when they arrived at the store and don’t buy any that are more than two days old.

Oysters in the shell are typically sold by the dozen. They should be alive, so if any shells are partially open, check that they close quickly when sharply tapped. Allow six medium-size oysters per serving. When refrigerated in an open container that is covered with a moist cloth, oysters may be stored up to three days. Discard shells that open during storage and don’t close quickly when tapped.

When oysters are well chilled, the muscles relax and oysters are easier to open. Before shucking, scrub the rough shells with a sturdy brush under cold running water.

An oyster knife (Step 1) is the best tool for opening the bivalves. Most have a guard between the handle and the short, strong blade (to protect your hand).

Although you may lose some of the natural liquid (the liquor), it’s safer for novices to wear a heavy oven mitt and place oysters on a solid surface rather than holding them in hand while opening.

Oysters have one shallow and one deep shell. With the protected hand, hold each oyster so the deep side is downward. Insert the pointed end of the oyster knife between the shells near the hinge (Step 2), being careful the blade doesn’t slip.

Twist the knife and push it into the opening, prying and lifting the upper shell enough to cut through the hinge muscle. Once the muscle is severed, run the knife blade the rest of the way around between the shells (Step 3), then remove the upper one.

Raw oysters may be tan, cream or gray, but the liquor should be clear, not cloudy, and smell sweet and pleasant.

Release the flesh from the bottom shell by sliding the knife blade underneath (Step 4). Examine each oyster with clean fingers to be certain there aren’t any bits of shell still attached.

If sandy, rinse oysters with a minimum of cold water and strain the liquor through fine muslin. Return both to the shell and place on a bed of crushed ice. Serve with lemon wedges, pepper, horseradish and cocktail or hot pepper sauce.

There’s a knack to shucking oysters, so don’t get discouraged if you find them difficult to open. If you find you just can’t get them open, you can place oysters in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size, then drop them briefly in ice water--they’ll be easier to shuck, although the flavor will be altered. You can also microwave one or two at a time on HIGH (100%) power for about 10 seconds.

To avoid bacterial danger, roast the scrubbed oysters in a large, shallow baking pan at 500 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, until the shells open. Remove the upper shells by cutting the hinge. When properly cooked, the edges will curl and the oysters will plump and become opaque.