Eat Alabama Seafood

When it comes to eating Alabama oysters, folks have all sorts of unique ways to savor this tasty Gulf treat. Though many prefer them raw – paired with a saltine and a dab of hot sauce – oysters can be prepared in several different ways including steamed, sauteed, scalloped and stuffed. Another well-loved Southern option is to fry them, place them atop a po’boy or stack them in a range of seafood baskets.

Oysters can be difficult to shuck yourself, but if you’re willing, add butter and a sprinkle of lemon then head to the grill for a real treat.

Step 1 – Find a Durable Oyster Knife and Gloves

Once you’ve become an expert at shucking your own oysters, you might be able to get away with shucking barehand. But even the professionals wear gloves, and for good reason. Track down a thick, broken-in pair of work gloves to wear while shucking; some folks even prefer light chainmail.

You’ll need an oyster knife, too, not just any old knife. These tools are specially made with at least one sharp edge to separate the oyster from the shell, and the handle is designed for gripping and twisting to pop the oysters open. Plus, a good oyster knife should last you a lifetime.

Step 2 – Make Sure Your Oysters Are Clean

No matter how pretty the shell is on your oysters, don’t forget that they come from the earth—even if they’re hanging in baskets on an oyster farm. Make sure you clean all the mud, dirt, and grit from the outside of your oysters (with cold water) so that none of that debris gets inside.

Step 3 – Pop the Oyster Shell Open

Hold the oyster with the cup side down (if it’s hard to tell, just make your best guess) and the pointy end facing you. Hold the oyster down on a hard surface, making sure your oyster hand is perpendicular to your knife. Then slide the knife into the hinge of the oyster and twist it until you hear it pop. (This is the hard part, so be patient with your mollusk!)

Step 4 – Pry the Oyster Open

Once you’ve got the hinge popped, all you have to do to open the oyster up is to slide the knife along the middle until the whole shell has been pried open. Even if you’ve cleaned the oyster prior to shucking, make sure you don’t get any excess debris or bits of shell inside the cup.

Step 5 – Loosen the Oyster from the Shell

Now that your oyster shell has been properly shucked, the last step is a simple one. The oyster meat will still be attached to the cup of the shell, so all you have to do is slide your knife along the bottom to pry it loose. Whether you’re serving your oysters raw or throwing them onto a grill or into a fryer, you might want to make one last quality check to remove any grit or bits of shell.

The five steps above will serve you well, but we almost forgot the most important step: Enjoy! Alabama Gulf oysters are a real treat, and with the many oyster farms in South Alabama, now’s a better time than ever before to eat local oysters.

If you’re looking for a wholesaler to pick up some fresh, unshucked oysters of your own, our Locations page will point you in the direction of processors in your neighborhood.

And if you need a recipe or two to cook ‘em up, our Recipes page has some excellent choices that are sure to impress your friends and family.