To 'Shuck' means to open an oyster shell using a stubby, thick-bladed knife. It's a skill that takes a little while to master but is easy once you know how.

Each oyster has a small gap at the rear that gives you a point to insert the oyster knife in for leverage.

Insert the knife and firmly twist the knife until the shell starts to part. Keep working at opening it until you can reach toward

the front of the shell where the muscle of the live oyster is trying to keep it closed.

The flattest half of the shell is the top. Gently run the knife through the upper part of the muscle. Once the upper part of the muscle is cut, the top will easily lift off. Now the bottom muscle must be cut so the oyster will slide free of the lower shell.

Be careful to keep your gritty dripping glove from above your bowl, and slide the oyster out of the shell and into the bowl. Or, leave them in the lower (deeper) shell and place on the grill with seasoning. At this point, I choose the smaller oysters and add a blob of Tabasco, slurp hiim down, and chase with a cracker and a cold slug of beer.

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