The right tools make oyster shucking simple

We’ve been gearing up at Southern Season to celebrate National Oysters on the Half Shell Day on March 31. There’s just one problem: Not all of us know how to shuck an oyster.

We asked Chef Ricky Moore of Durham, North Carolina’s acclaimed Saltbox Seafood Joint to show us – and you – how to shuck oysters like a boss.

“It’s not that hard,” says Moore, who grew up enjoying fresh seafood in coastal New Bern, North Carolina. “The most important thing is to buy the freshest local oysters you can find. Once you find an oyster knife that feels good in your hands, and you learn how to pry open its hinge, you’ll be good to go.”

Moore appreciated the heft and elegance of shucking tools produced by Carolina Shuckers. Each tool is hand-forged by North Carolina artisans Kirk Davis and Michael Waller.

“A good oyster knife is engineered to open a shell like a can opener,” says Moore, who will teach a Chef Meets Farmer class on cooking fresh catch with Locals Seafood on May 16 at the Cooking School in Chapel Hill. “You could shuck oysters all day long with one of these.”

While a heavy glove can protect your hands from injury, Moore prefers to grasp a closed oyster between folds of dishtowel. Be sure to have plenty on hand as they’ll get wet and dirty.

Set the oyster down on the dishtowel with the rounded side up. The indented, hinged side should be facing you. Secure the oyster in place by folding the towel over the shell and pressing down. Poke the point of your oyster knife into hinge, pressing just enough to slide in about ½-inch of the tip. Grasp the knife firmly and twist the handle a quarter-turn until you hear a pop.

“The goal is to keep all that oyster liquor inside the shell,” Moore says as he pulls back the dishtowel and gently pries open the oyster, revealing a plump mollusk surrounded by ocean-fresh brine. Moore uses the oyster knife to scoop under the oyster, releasing it from the shell. If necessary, use the tip of the knife to remove any dirt or shell fragments.

“Next, you want to eat it,” he says with a grin, tipping the shell to his lips as the oyster slid into his mouth. “That’s all there is to it. Just keep repeating until they’re all gone.”

While the oysters were outstanding as is, Moore also suggests trying them with a great hot sauce – like bourbon barrel-aged Red Clay from Charleston – or making a simple mignonette. Once you’ve made the recipe below, feel free to tweak it with different acids (maybe a champagne or sherry vinegar) or substitute the parsley for cilantro or other fresh green.

“For me, the mignonette needs to be a pourable mass; not quite a paste, but you want to drizzle it on and let the oyster liquor loosen it up,” he says. “It brings a fresh flavor that pairs beautifully with the oyster.”

Ricky Moore’s Mignonette

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or a favorite vinegar)
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1½ tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
Freshly grated black pepper

Blend all ingredients in a small bowl until well combined, then drizzle over raw oysters.

If the oyster liquor is not salty enough for your taste, add a pinch of sea salt to the mignonette.

Note: As with any raw food, there is some risk associated with consuming raw oysters. Purchase oysters from a reliable seller and avoid consuming them raw if you have a chronic illness.

This post first appeared on Southern Season.

Bull City Food and Beer Experience a marriage of craft beer and fine food

This post first appeared in Indy Week.

The second annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience expressed its name admirably on Sunday as hundreds of patrons enjoyed the experience of thoughtful food and craft beer pairings that put the flavors of food first.

During a panel discussion on the state of craft beer in North Carolina, Sean Lily Wilson of Durham’s Fullsteam brewery said that’s exactly how it ought to be. 

“The point is not to make a wacky beer that takes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” says Wilson, who admittedly makes a seasonal fruitcake beer, “but to make a great beer that takes a back seat to really enhance the flavor of food and encourage conversation. I really think that’s where the industry is going, and it’s exactly where we want to be.”

While some offerings did not stray far from typical pub fare, exceptional food and beer pairings abounded at the event, which filled two floors and spilled onto the stage of the Durham Performing Arts Center. A portion of proceeds from each $75 ticket will benefit the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Without a doubt, the most ambitious and delicious presentation came from Durham’s G2B Gastro Pub and Unibroue brewery of Quebec.

“For an event like this, it’s go big or go home, right?” says G2B Chef Carrie Schleiffer, who presented four upscale nibbles – pork rillettes with fig chutney; Scottish salmon ceviche with walnuts, red onion and cilantro; pear agrodulce; and sugar dough chocolate ganache – to complement the complex light and dark beers poured by a representative of the Canadian brewery.

Other strong pairings included 21st Amendment Brewing of San Francisco, which offered its full-bodied Back in Black and the crisp Sneak Attack to complement the hearty smoked pork belly, sauerkraut and potatoes provided by Vin Rouge. End slices of the massive pork bellies – they started with 60 pounds’ worth – tasted like the best salty candy you could imagine.

The experience of walking upstairs to the second floor was like entering a cartoon in which a snake charmer draws you in. Fortunately, the first station was operated by Billy and Kelli Cotter of Toast. They were steaming mussels in Carolina Brewery’s Tripel Belgian. The mollusks were served in little cups with spicy, buttery broth that made a great shooter on its own.

Spicy seafood also was on tap at Saltwater Seafood Joint’s table, which paired a savory chowder with with Founder’s Brewing Co  of Grand Rapids, Mich. “Durham’s got a reputation now. We’ve got to bring it,” quips chef Ricky Moore. “No more bolgona sandwiches for these folks.”

Patrons were dazzled – and some a bit tipsy – after sampling the fare offered by 30 Durham eateries and 50 brewers. Food was offered in bite-sized portions, with providers happily offering seconds to swooners, and beer was poured as samples in short souvenir glasses.

Courtney Whilden of Chapel Hill had just a sip or two the whole evening. “I’m pregnant but didn’t want to miss this because it was so much fun last year,” Whilden, who was toting a water bottle. “We learned so much about craft beer. I think we drank more beer, really good beer, last year than we ever did before.”

The opportunity to sample a diverse assortment quality beer also was irresistible to Debbie Lidowski of Durham. “I thought beer was just disgusting when everyone was drinking it in college,” says Lidowski, who despised beginner brands like Miller Lite but was glad to stand in line for a pour from New Holland Brewing of Holland, Mich. “I’m so happy there’s been a whole movement of craft beer that’s being celebrated right here in our town.”