You may think it’s a waste of time and money to take an oyster shucking class, and that your pry-it-open-with-a-screwdriver, smash-it-with-a-hammer, or stab-yourself-in-the-hand methods are working just fine, but I’d say learning the proper way is totally worth it.

Last weekend I took an oyster shucking class at Oyster Boy. It was so much fun. Eating oysters can be quite an expensive hobby. If you’re an oyster lover like me, I’m sure you already know this. Shucking your own oysters is a great skill to have. You can save money by buying your oysters at the market or from a wholesaler and shucking them yourself. But, I’m a believer in doing things the right way, which is why I wanted to learn to shuck from the experts. Impress your friends with gorgeously shucked oysters, that aren’t full of grit/sand.

The classes at Oyster Boy happen every weekend (Saturday and Sunday from 11:00-1:00). Each class holds 8-12 people and each shucker receives their own shucking knife, t-shirt, and 18 Malpeque oysters from P.E.I. to shuck and devour. Spend the morning with Oyster Boy’s head shucker, and oyster guru, Chris Field. He’ll teach you all you need to know about oysters, from their history to how they’re farmed to how to handle and shuck them like a pro. You can dress them with lemon juice, fresh horseradish, and Oyster Boy’s three delicious house sauces. Chris will even pour you a beer or mix up a spicy caesar. Best way to start your day! Gather your friends together and take a class! It’s lots of fun with a big group, and would be a great for a birthday party or a corporate outing with co-workers/clients. If you’re in Toronto, I totally recommend it!

Here are some photos from my last class! 🙂

Our shucking stations, all set and ready to go!

An XXL Beach Angel the size of my hand…maybe bigger. You’ve got to try at least one massive oyster in your life. Oyster farmers can manipulate the size of their oysters by placing them in different spots on the beach. How big an oyster grows is directly related to how long it can feed for, on a daily basis. This has to do with the changing of the tides and how long they are in and out of water. These beauties have the protein content of an 8 oz steak! (I hope I remembered that stat correctly…because I know it sounds crazy!) They’re delicious! We shared one as a special treat. If your mouth’s big enough, eat it all at once. I was happy with my 5 mouthfuls.

Barnacles. They’re kind of pretty, don’t you think?

Shuck, eat, repeat.

A step-by-step of me shucking. I did a pretty good job on that one.

If you can’t shuck ’em all, take ’em with you!

Happy shucking boys and girls! xx

To check out my birthday shucking class, click here.