This one goes out to all the roast-chicken carvers. You know who you are. While others are setting the table or tossing the salad or asking you, “Hey, is the chicken ready yet?” you are at the cutting board, apron on, knife in hand. For this, you deserve a pat on the back, glass of wine, and some oysters.
I first read about these on a newish website called, ahem, Food52, years before I started working here. Our co-founders Amanda and Merrill were bolstering my chicken-carving confidence, as they do. Then, mid-video, they mentioned this lil’ secret:
After you’ve removed the legs and breasts (cue the video at 1:49), “You want to flip the bird over, so that you can find the oyster,” Merrill says. “Which is the best part of the whole chicken.” I’m listening. “It’s just that little piece of meat that’s right next to the spine,” Merrill continues. “And it’s about the size of a plump oyster,” Amanda adds.
Though small, the two chicken oysters are some of the juiciest, tenderest meat on the whole bird. Like other juicy, tender meat (hello, thighs), they’re dark by nature. Located on the back, on either side of the spine toward the thighs, they’re sneakily hidden, making them the carver’s to enjoy: “I don’t tell anyone about them,” Amanda says. (Seems like a lot of people are doing this—no one told me for years!)
Our Senior Lifestyle Editor Hana Asbrink is also an oyster devotee. In a recent chicken-carving tutorial, she also points out these hidden gems (at 2:50):
Hana calls them “the chef’s or cook’s treat.” After she removes them from the carcass—this is easy to do by hand—she declares, “That’s for you to eat.” For you! The chicken carver. Unless you want to share one with me. There are two, after all. From Our Shop
Have you ever tried a chicken oyster before? Are you as obsessed as we are? Share your thoughts below!
The Dynamite Chicken cookbook is here! Get ready for 60 brand-new ways to love your favorite bird. Inside this clever collection by Food52 and chef Tyler Kord, youll find everything from lightning-quick weeknight dinners to the coziest of comfort foods.
Chicken oysters are oyster-sized pieces of meat on the back side of the chicken, near the lower spine and thighs. There are two “oysters” on every chicken (one on either side of the spine).
The Dynamite Chicken cookbook is here! Get ready for 60 brand-new ways to love your favorite bird. Inside this clever collection by Food52 and chef Tyler Kord, youll find everything from lightning-quick weeknight dinners to the coziest of comfort foods.
This one goes out to all the roast-chicken carvers. You know who you are. While others are setting the table or tossing the salad or asking you, “Hey, is the chicken ready yet?” you are at the cutting board, apron on, knife in hand. For this, you deserve a pat on the back, glass of wine, and some oysters.
Our Senior Lifestyle Editor Hana Asbrink is also an oyster devotee. In a recent chicken-carving tutorial, she also points out these hidden gems (at 2:50):
After you’ve removed the legs and breasts (cue the video at 1:49), “You want to flip the bird over, so that you can find the oyster,” Merrill says. “Which is the best part of the whole chicken.” I’m listening. “It’s just that little piece of meat that’s right next to the spine,” Merrill continues. “And it’s about the size of a plump oyster,” Amanda adds.
Hana calls them “the chef’s or cook’s treat.” After she removes them from the carcass—this is easy to do by hand—she declares, “That’s for you to eat.” For you! The chicken carver. Unless you want to share one with me. There are two, after all. From Our Shop
Chicken Oysters are two circular-shaped, small pieces of dark meat on the back of the chicken’s thigh, near the backbone. When birds are cooking, the juices are pulled to the center of the chicken. This means the oyster roasts in the natural juices and is protected from scorching temperatures because it hides inside the body. Thus, the infamous “oyster” is described as the best part of the chicken.
The Best Part of the Chicken – The Oyster
FAQ
What organ is the chicken oyster?
How do you remove chicken oysters?
What is oyster cut chicken?
What is the oyster bone in a chicken?
What are chicken oysters?
Chicken oysters are oyster-sized pieces of meat on the back side of the chicken, near the lower spine and thighs. There are two “oysters” on every chicken (one on either side of the spine). and like other dark meat, these little nuggets are super tender, but they are frequently forgotten or discarded with the rest of the carcass.
What are chicken oysters & how do you find them?
What are Chicken Oysters and How Do You Find them? Chicken Oysters, which are also sometimes known as the ‘Chef’s Reward’ when cooking with chicken, are arguably the best part of the chicken because the oyster is soft, tender, moist, and very flavorful.
How do you cook a chicken oyster?
On a roasted whole bird, the chicken oyster is a dense, rich bit of dark meat at the back of the thigh, or along the low back of the bird, where the thigh meets the spine. Most cooks, when roasting a whole bird, place it breast side up with the skin on. When you roast the whole bird, the moisture in the meat is drawing into the center of the bird.
Where do oysters go when cooking a chicken?
The oysters are located on either side of the spine, tucked in at the back of the thighs, and while they’re slightly easier to remove from a cooked bird than an uncooked one, you should still remove them if you’re butchering a raw chicken. It’s this location that makes them so special (and tasty).