The Microwave Trick For Opening Oysters Fast

An oyster is considered a delicacy around the world. The famous mollusks make for great food and can exude different tastes, which come down to the preparation of the oyster and which breeds are used (via The Spruce Eats). While many picture a fancy restaurant when imagining eating oysters, that isn't always the case. In fact, the dish can be prepared in the comfort of your home for a date night, a celebration, or maybe just a casual Tuesday dinner. However, there is a common problem that people tend to have when it comes to oysters, and that's getting them to open.

Their hard, jagged shell and slippery texture can be a mishap waiting to happen. One of the most common processes to crack open an oyster is by shucking. According to Food Network, shucking begins by placing the oyster inside a cloth with the "cupped shell" facing the bottom and the "flat shell" facing the top. You then hold the mollusk in place with the cloth before placing your oyster knife inside the opening of the oyster. And next, you twist the knife to pop it open. And once you get the oyster open, you have to carefully cut through the top and bottom of the shell. 

The daunting process can deter even the most culinary savvy, but not anymore.

After sweating and stressing from shucking oysters, you must be thinking there has to be a better way to open them more quickly and efficiently. And luckily for cooks looking for an easier option, they can simply put the sea delicacy in the microwave.

While we may think of putting popcorn or our leftovers in the microwave, it turns out you can also do the same to oysters. According to Food & Wine, they suggest laying your oysters on a plate "cupped side down." Once you do this, it's as easy as putting them in the microwave and setting the timer for under a minute. However, Food Network specifies that the time should be between 40 and 60 seconds. Once out of the microwave, the oysters should snap open, and if they don't, it should make cutting the muscle a lot easier.

Although this seems to be the easiest hack when it comes to getting oysters to open, those with more time on their hands have two more options (via Food Network): You can put the oysters on a pan for about 10 minutes on the grill or oven or you can freeze your oysters for six hours, and once they have been out of the freezer for an hour, they will open up. 

Long gone are the days of spending hours shucking oysters because it's as easy as 1, 2, 3.