6 cooking tips to make the tastiest oysters that you'll ever eat

Often people really love oysters but they still don't make them at home. That's because oysters can be a little intimidating. They need to be cleaned, they need to be shucked, and then it needs to be decided on whether you'll be cooking them or serving them raw. It's no wonder so many people just leave the oyster dishes to their favorite restaurant.

But oysters don't have to be so difficult. After getting down a few basics such as shucking (which really only takes a few tries before you've mastered it) enjoying oysters at home can be a breeze. Not to mention a real showstopper when you're entertaining. So put away the self doubt and pick up an oyster knife. It's time you start enjoying these beauties more in the comfort of your own home.

1. Know how to buy them
Choosing the perfect oysters to buy isn't like choosing a loaf of bread. There are a few things to know if you want to make sure you get the best-tasting oysters.

First, ask your vendor where they came from. Like all shellfish, oysters are best when they haven't had a long travel time before landing on a shelf somewhere (or in a bucket at the fish market). And while you want to make sure your oysters aren't road-weary, knowing where they come from will also give you an idea what they'll taste like. Oysters that come from chilly waters such as the northern climates of the Pacific or Atlantic oceans are going to have clear juices and more of a briny taste. But if the oysters hail from warmer locations, such as the Gulf of Mexico, they're likely going to have a milder taste and milky juices.

While we're on the topic of knowing how to buy oysters, forget about the old adage that you should only buy oysters in months that have an 'r' in their name. This idea came from the fact that in the wild, oysters breed during the spring and summer months which can make them watery, limp, and lacking in flavor. Now that they're bred and cultivated in so many farms though, you can enjoy them any time you get a craving, no matter the month.

2. Inspect the shells while cleaning the oysters
Oysters of course, live in the ocean, usually nestled into a reef. And because the shell of an oyster is full of all kinds of nooks and crannies, these reefs provide a home for thousands of other small animals. Because of this, an oyster's shell can quickly become filled with sand, grit, and debris, so it's important to give them a good scrub when you get them home. This can be done with a wire brush or even a toothbrush kept just for this purpose. Place them under cold running water, then run the brush down the shell, rinsing the brush under water before running it down the shell again.

While cleaning the oysters, it's a good time to inspect the shells of the oysters to make sure that they are entirely closed. A closed shell means that the oyster is still alive, which is what all oysters should be until you're ready to use them (unless you've bought frozen of course, which likely won't come in a full shell.) Dead oysters can quickly collect lots of bacteria, and that bacteria can make you very sick if you eat it, particularly if you're serving your oysters raw.

So inspect all your shells before you shuck or even start cleaning your oysters. If a couple of them are slightly open but shut immediately after you give it a little tap, it's okay to eat. Any others that are open and don't close after a light tap should be thrown away.

3. Shuck them
Shucking oysters is probably the most intimidating part of the whole process, but it doesn't have to be that difficult. And in fact, if you're really hesitant to shuck your own oysters, try broiling or roasting them with their shell still intact and it will pop open during the cooking process, making the shell easier to remove.

If you're going to be serving impressive raw oysters on the half-shell though, you'll need to master the art of shucking. To do it, place a towel on your upturned palm and rest an oyster on it, with the round side of the shell pointing down. Using a small oyster knife (although a butter knife will do in a pinch too), find the hinge where the top and bottom of the shell are joined together. This is typically found where the shell comes to a point at the top. Place your knife into the notch located at that hinge and then gently twist. The shell will pop open and you'll feel like a pro!

4. Detach the muscle
While shucking might bring the biggest intimidation factor, there's another important step that needs to be done, regardless of whether you're serving oysters raw or cooked. That's detaching the abductor muscle that attaches the oyster to the shell, and it's simple enough to do.

Once you've shucked the oyster and it's opened into all its glory, simply use your knife to slide underneath the oyster. This will detach, or at least loosen, the muscle so your guests won't have to fidget with them at the table. If serving oysters raw the muscle should be completely detached but when serving them cooked still in their shells, it's okay to leave it a little loose as people will likely use a fork to get the meat out anyway.

5. Deep fry them
Deep fried oysters are a favorite of many, and they're a perfect dish if you're just as intimidated about eating a raw oyster as you are cooking them. Simply bread the oysters in the traditional way of dredging in flour, dipping in egg, and then coating in seasoned bread crumbs. Then bring a large pot of oil (or a deep fryer) to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit and drop them in, but only for a couple of minutes. Like most shellfish, oysters don't take long to cook - particularly when they're being deep-fried - so keep an eye on them and pull them out of that oil just as they're beginning to brown.

6. Make Oysters Rockefeller
While there are a ton of different ways to enjoy oysters, Oysters Rockefeller may use be the most popular. This dish got its name because a lot of butter is first poured over the oysters, making the dish very rich (like Rockefeller). Then the oysters are sprinkled with herbs, namely parsley, topped with bread crumbs and broiled or baked between 7 to 10 minutes, depending on individual ovens. They're often served on a bed of salt and the recipe can include any variation the cook wants. Most restaurants that serve Oysters Rockefeller today have their own version of it, sometimes using things like watercress and spinach along with the parsley.