A seafood pro shares his expert tips for shucking oysters safely. He recommends tools like a $12 knife and these bestselling ...

Insert the knife into the hinge, slowly exerting firm pressure, twisting and wiggling it until you feel the shell give a bit. (The shell may chip or your oyster may be particularly stubborn, but ...

Insert an oyster knife into the opening and run it from top to bottom of the hinge a few times to open. If this doesn't work, try twisting the knife in the center of the hinge.

Each class includes a dozen oysters to shuck and eat, beverages, one-on-one training, and an oyster knife and glove to take home.

Step 2: Rinse the oysters thoroughly with a hose to remove any residual pluff mud. Step 3: Gather oyster knives (or use a butter knife or flat-head screwdriver if oyster knives aren’t available).