Oysters taste great and make excellent hors d’oeuvres when I have dinner parties, but as for the prep work involved, I put them right up there with crab legs for being irritatingly difficult.
The best oyster knife? I like the HiCoup Pakkawood.
Shucking an oyster requires some practice. You want to use enough strength to pry back the hinge and tear the oyster away from the shell, while still being delicate enough not to break the oyster.
So what is “shucking an oyster” anyways?
Shucking an oyster is when you take your oyster knife and pry open the oyster shells to reach the meat that is inside it. It can be a little tricky. So your best bet is to pick up a knife specially made for shucking oysters. With a good knife and a bit of practice, getting to the good part gets easier. Let’s look at a few top choices for knives made just for shucking oysters.
MOMONI Premium Oyster Knife Set
This is a premium set of oyster knives that is designed to look beautiful and work great. Plus it comes with two of them, so when you and your significant other decide on oysters for an appetizer, you can each open your own oysters.
Fits perfectly in your hand
The non-slip wooden handle is properly weighted and fits nicely in the hand. A good grip is crucial so the knife doesn’t slip when you’re applying force. The blade is thin but quite strong, perfect for prying open the shells and detaching the muscle to remove the oyster.
See the Momoni Oyster Knives at Amazon.
Should you get this oyster knife?
This is a great set of oyster knives. The tip is slim enough to fit in the oyster, and the blade is still able to maintain the strength to pry open the shell. They come in an attractive storage box that would be perfect for gifting.
OXO Good Grips Oyster Knife
This is a no-frills, get-to-work kind of knife. The handle is soft black plastic that won’t slip and the blade is stainless steel with a slight bend at the end to give a little more leverage.
Simple, effective
OXO is known for making simple, easy to use products that don’t break the bank. This one is no different.
Save yourself some $$ with the OXO Oyster Knife at Amazon.
Dishwasher safe
Unlike a wooden handle knife this one is safe for the dishwasher. Shucking oysters can get a bit messy, being able to throw this in the dishwasher makes clean up that much easier.
Should you purchase this oyster knife?
This is the choice when you’re more concerned with utility than the ceremony of oyster shucking. The handle being a bit bigger feels more substantial in the hand, cutting down on fatigue if you’re doing a lot of shucking at once. It’s not something you’re going to put in a display case, but it’ll get the job done.
HiCoup Kitchenware Pakka Wood oyster knife
This one is the Sistine Chapel of oyster knives (hyperbole I know, but it is a gorgeous knife). This Hi Coup Kitchenware product takes the cake when talking about beauty, plus it comes with its own sheath.
Here’s the beautiful HiCoup Oyster Knife at Amazon.
Safe and beautiful
The Pakkawood handle is curved beautifully to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. It has an oversized hand guard to make sure that you don’t lose your grip and cut yourself, and it the handle is held securely in place with three well-placed rivets.
Excellent blade
The blade is incredible as well. It is made with 420-stainless steel and has an exquisite mirror finish. This knife is just gorgeous. But is still strong enough to get the job done easily, and durable enough to remain beautiful for years to come.
Should you purchase this oyster knife?
This oyster knife is too pretty to pass up. If you want something that will be a fantastic table piece, as well as do the job you need it to do. Then this is the oyster knife you want.
Wrap – Up
If you eat oysters, then you will have no other choice but to shuck them. They can’t be sold pre shucked because the law requires that they are sold while still alive. I suppose you could pay someone to do it for you, but that seems like a waste of money.
You can’t go wrong with any decision you make with these three. If you only care about function, the OXO is perfect for you. If you want beauty, then the other two should be the ones you choose. Me? I love the pakkawood oyster knife from HiCoup.
Alexis DeAnda is a food fanatic, library card user, and cast iron hunter, in that order. She has been cooking for anyone that will taste it ever since her mom let her make doughnuts on Saturday mornings at the age of 7.