Butcher's Demo: How to Shuck Oysters

At the time of our first date, Jake was obsessively reading Mark Kurlansky’s The Big Oyster. So on our second date we went to one of our favorite spots in Brooklyn - Marlow and Son’s - for oysters and martinis. The rest, as they say, is history. Oysters have continued to play a big role in our relationship and we're always looking for an excuse to eat them - not that you need any excuses when they're only $1 a pop from P.E. & D.D at the Green Market, incredibly good for you and good for the environment!

Every Valentine's Day since, we've spent a quiet night at home with a bowl of oysters and a nice steak. And because we've already demonstrated the perfect steak, we thought we'd complete the package with an oyster shucking how-to. Don't be intimidated! It's easy to master and trust us, it's the best way to woo someone. We know.

Happy Valentines Day!

Because this is only our second Butcher’s Demo video, we're still working out the kinks. We'd appreciate any and all constructive comments!

Butcher's Demo: How to Break Down a Whole Chicken

UPDATED: See below for a simple chicken stock recipe!

For our first butcher's demo we decided to go with chicken. It's the easiest thing to break down, extremely versatile, and probably the handiest "butcher" skill to have at home. When you break down a chicken in your own kitchen, you decide how to cut the pieces - whole legs vs. legs and thighs, whole breast vs single breasts - and how to use them - baked chicken pieces, grilled chicken wings, chicken soup or stew. You're left with the components of a great and easy stock (wing tips, back bone, giblets) and whatever you don't use, you can freeze for later.

We hope you enjoy our first video! These demos are a work-in-progress so we'd appreciate any suggestions, which you can send to cutandbake@gmail.com. Thanks for tuning in!

Simple Chicken Stock

+ the remains of 1 whole chicken (see above)
+ 1 celery rib
+ 1 carrot
+ 1 medium onion, left unpeeled, halved
+ 1 bay leaf
+ 8 whole black peppercorns
+ 4 quarts cold water
+ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in an 8- to 10-quart pot and skim froth. 
2. Reduce heat, uncover and gently simmer for 3-6 hours, skimming froth occasionally.
3. Strain through a sieve or colander to remove the chicken pieces, and discard the solids.
4. Chill, covered. Once chilled, remove any solidified fat and save for cooking (schmaltz). 5. Use within a week or freeze, well sealed, for up to a year. Bring to a boil before using.