In 2019, Denmark was ranked as the number one place that was capturing oysters, but other than fine dining restaurants that serve them, how easy is it to enjoy oysters in your home?
For Canadians, we all know the coasts give us oysters that are out of this world delicious. Here, in Ontario, you can get fresh P.E.I. (Prince Edward Island) oysters in many local grocery stores.
Prince Edward Island oysters were declared the most delicious in the world at the Paris World’s Fair of 1900. Their salty delicious fresh flavours of the East Coast of Canada can’t be beat. P.E.I. oyster cultivators by name found here in Ontario stores are Malpeques, Colville Bay, Raspberry Point, Lucky Lime, Blackberry Point, Pickle Point and more. These names are related to the areas they come from. Most of them also offer website e-commerce and will ship oysters directly to your home.
Many of the these oyster cultivators have been in operation for generations, and it shows in the quality of their product.
If you’re looking for things to do at home on Valentine’s Day, oyster shucking can be one of the most unique and memorable experiences for you to share with a partner.
But how do you shuck oysters? With practice, oyster shucking at home can be easy.
Buy the Perfect Oysters
First, you’ll have to make sure that you buy the right oysters. You can get oysters from P.E.I. in Ontario from the grocery store at the fresh seafood counters. Since they’re healthy to eat, don’t be shy or worry about calories. Oysters can be considered expensive, but really, when you consider their value, it’s a fair price to pay, plus, it’s something ‘to do’!
ToDoOntario – grocery store oyster counter
Many people think that the size is what makes a difference in how difficult they are to shuck, but it really has more to do with the shape, thickness, and shell.
You can purchase a decent oyster knife at kitchen supply stores that will get the job done, and also be safe. This is always a good tool to keep in your kitchen arsenal.
You should try to find an oyster that has a uniform shape and a good angle at the hinge. Try and stay away from some that are warped. You may also want to find ones that have a sturdier shell.
Insert the Knife and Twist
Pick up an oyster and hold the oyster with the flatter side of the shell facing upwards. Use a folded kitchen towel to work on and keep from sliding around. Use the other end of the towel to protect your hand.
Once you find the hinge, you should take your knife and slide it between the shells right near the hinge. A lot of people tend to shove it in the hinge, but this can be hard to do.
Slide the Knife Through the Two Shells
Once you’ve slid the knife through the two shells, make sure that you keep it at the bottom of the top shell.
The knife should slide very easily, but once you get to the hinge, you might find that you’ll get a little bit of resistance. Make sure you don’t use a lot of force because you don’t want to ruin the oyster shell and get shell inside with the juice and meat. Remember to always be careful and use part of the kitchen towel to also protect your hand if the knife should slip.
Open the Oyster
Once you manage to cut open the hinge, you then separate the two shells. First, take off the top shell. There might still be a little bit of meat attached to it, but you can easily just scrape that off into the other half to eat it, do not waste it. Toss the top shell away. We keep a large bowl on the counter for all the discarded shells.
You should also make sure you take your knife and run it along the edge of the bottom shell. This will make sure that there is nothing sticking up that might hurt you while you’re eating the oyster.
While you’re doing all of this, make sure that you keep the oyster’s liquid inside as much as possible and frequently wipe your knife so you don’t get grit or shells pieces inside the oyster.
How To Serve & Eat Your Oysters
Oysters on the half shell should be placed and served on crushed ice, or here in Ontario we use snow!
Oysters are delicious au naturel, but part of the fun is creating and enjoying an oyster bar full of flavours that enhance and balance that of the oyster. Fresh lemons are the first necessity and they help balance and cut the super saltiness of the oyster. If you like to spice things up, the next topping to consider is Tabasco sauce.
With Google’s help, there are a ton of other toppings, our favourite is the mignonette. A tart mix of wine vinegar and shallots that brighten the briny flavours of the sea, with a bit of a kick.
Be sure to tell us what your favourite is and how you eat your oysters.
This is sometimes the best part to enjoy during your romantic Valentine’s Day in.
Learn More About Oyster Shucking
Oyster shucking is only one thing that you can do this Valentine’s Day at home in Ontario.
We know that it can overwhelming trying to decide what to do, which is why we’re here to help you. Enjoy & Happy Valentine’s Day!
If you’re still not sure about your future travel or have any questions, make sure you check out our FAQ page to answer all your questions.
