If you have an actual fish monger he will shuck them. Make sure you get the shells as well as the oysters, cuz you'll need them in most recipes.

It isn't hard, once you learn the trick. But it can be dangeous; if you're not careful you can drive the shucking knife into your hand. And the shells, themselves, are sharp.

So either get the fish guy to do it, or have somebody teach you (maybe the same guy).

Raw on the half shell is the best! But a lot of people do not care for them that way. So unless you know otherwise, it's best to serve them cooked, one way or another.

To save a lot of typing, here are just the names of several oyster dishes that would work as appetizers.

Deviled Oysters
Pickled Oyster Coctail
Cucumber Oyster Cocktail
Baked Oysters w/Wild Rice
Fried Oysters

Also keep in mind that many shelfish recipes are interchangeable. Which means even though it says "clams" or "mussels" it may very well work with oysters.

They are not easy to shuck....but if you are having them fresh on the 1/2 shell....and if you can get them, there is no other way in my opinion.
Your fish monger should shuck them for you...but they will be fresher iuf you do it just befores erving.
Put 6 oysters on a plate, serve a wedge of lemon on the side and have a bottle of hot sauce to pass!
Oh! Wow! I love them like that!
Linda C

I now have to see if they are open on Easter Sunday...not a goo idea to open on Sat and serve on Sun...LOL

Just shared a plate of fried oysters with a spicy remoulade dipping sauce at Bonefish the other day - good!

eileen, in case I wasn't clear, I meant that if any of those sound appealing I would type the recipe for you.

Linda, what do you find difficult about shucking oysters? Especially with the right tool?

Now, you want to talk about hard? There was the time we were duck hunting off Okracoke Is., and left the lunches in the outfitter's boat. The blind was on an oyster bar, though, so there was lunch for the taking---so long as you were very carefull shucking them with a sharp-pointed pocket knife. That was, to say the least, a leisurely lunch. But talk about gooooood! Sweet and salty like homemade sin.

I find getting the shucking knife into the proper "slot" worth a bit of attention....and the actually "slide the knife in pry it open" task difficult for me. My hands are not strong.
But I can eat them as fast as you can shuck them!!!
To me, if you can get good fresh oysters in the shell, it's a travesty to serve them anyway but raw on the 1/2 shell!
I live in Iowa....nuff said???
Linda C

Ioway, huh? I reckon prairie oysters ain't quite the same. :>)

Like so many things, the more you do it the better at it you get. This is especially true with tasks like shucking oysters, where you develop a rhythm as you go along. And discover it's not so much strengh as leverage.

When I was down in the Louisiana swamps, and in practice, two of us could shuck a bushel of oysters in about a half hour. But now, also living in the middle of the country, and way out of practice, it would likely take me all day and a bunch of nicks and cuts.

The fastest I ever saw was an old gen'leman at Bob Hesters camp in Mattamuskeet, North Carolina. He did a pre-dinner oyster roast, and could shuck 'em fast enough to keep ahead of three or four hungry hunters.

Tom Burrus his name was, and he made the best seafood cocktail sauce ever. And I've got the recipe (he said smugly)!

Well the vote is in my brothers want raw oysters....now I have to see....if the fish market is oopen Sunday...If open only saturday how do I store them on ice in a cooler or the refrigerator or another way until Sunday schucking time???

We are eating at 3 oclock at what point can these oysters be opened????

You can shuck them at least 3 hours ahead of time-just make sure you place them on a bed of ice and place in cold, cold fridge.
My all time favorite is from a visit to Sanibel Island in FL-where oysters on the half shell were served with a half teaspoon of finely chopped red onion sprinkled over the oyster, then a dollop of sour cream & topped with caviar! OMG-delectable!

If you're going to shuck them yourself, do it just before serving.

Store the oysters on a bed of ice, covered with a damp cloth. Icing isn't really necessary, so long as you can keep them cool. But they do taste better cold, and the ice doesn't hurt. Store them top shell (the larger one) down.

When ready to shuck, check if any are open. If so, tap them with your finger. If they don't close the oyster is dead. Discard it.

Shuck the oyster, small shell upwards. Cut the muscle free from the top shell, and lay out the shell, containing its oyster and liquid, on a bed of ice. A little hot sauce on the side, for those who like it that way.

As an appetizer, figure on a half dozen per person.

I made these for New Years Eve one year.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Oyster Tarts
============
Lucy Waverman Toronto sun, December 26th,1984

This pastry is sinfull indulgent but simple to make. It is patted into pans because its high fat content makes it break easily. Using oysters is luxurious but substitute cooked mushrooms or other vegetables if you wish.

Cream Cheese Pastry

1 cup flour
8 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons cream cheese

Mix flour, butter and cream cheese together in food processor or blender. Press into small tartlets or muffin tins.

Oyster filling:

1/2 pint of fresh shucked oysters in liquid
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper
1/2 teasponn pernod

.
Drain oysters reserving liquor. Reduce oyster liquor and wine in a pan
until 1 tablespoon is left. Add cream, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Reduce until cream boils off and mixture thickens.

Cut oysters into 2 or 3 pieces. Add to the cream along with Pernod.
Place in pastry cases.

Bake at 400 °F for about 15 minutes.

Makes 16.

Ohmigosh! Ann it ain't even breakfast time and you've got me drooling on the keyboard.

I have got to make me a batch of those!