How To Prepare And Cook Clams

ByLily

Clams need a good soak in saltwater to purge sand and grit before they ever hit the heat. If you want to know how to prepare and cook clams the right way, start with that soak, then pick a cooking method that matches your meal.

This guide walks you through buying, cleaning, and cooking clams step by step. You will also learn how to tell when they are safe to eat and when to toss them out.

How To Prepare And Cook Clams

Preparation takes longer than cooking. Most clams cook in under ten minutes once the pan is hot. The work is in the cleaning.

Choosing Fresh Clams

Start with live clams. A live clam has a tight shell. If the shell stays open when you tap it, the clam is dead. Throw it away.

  • Look for shells that are closed or close when tapped
  • Skip cracked, broken, or chipped shells
  • Smell the bag. Fresh clams smell like the ocean, not like ammonia
  • Plan on about 1 pound of clams per person for a main dish
  • Smaller clams like littlenecks are tender and sweet. Larger ones like cherrystones are chewier

Buy clams the same day you plan to cook them if you can. If you need to hold them, keep them cold and let them breathe.

Storing Clams Before Cooking

Never store live clams in a sealed plastic bag or in fresh water. They will die. Put them in a bowl, cover with a damp towel, and keep them in the fridge.

Do not soak them in fresh water. Fresh water kills them. A saltwater soak is fine, but keep it short.

How To Purge Sand From Clams

This is the step most people skip, and it ruins dinner. Sand hides in the shell and ends up in your teeth.

  1. Fill a large bowl with cold water
  2. Add about 1/3 cup of salt per gallon of water. Use sea salt or kosher salt, not table salt with iodine
  3. Add the clams in a single layer
  4. Let them sit for 30 minutes to 2 hours
  5. Lift the clams out by hand. Do not pour them out, or the sand goes right back on them

Some cooks add a spoon of cornmeal to the water. The clams take it in and push out sand. It works, but a plain salt soak is fine too.

If you bought clams that were already purged and bagged, a quick 20 minute soak is still a good idea.

Scrubbing And Checking The Clams

After the soak, scrub each shell with a stiff brush under cold running water. Get rid of mud, barnacles, and grit around the hinge.

Now check every clam again. Tap any open shell on the counter. If it closes, it is alive. If it stays open, toss it.

Some people remove the dark stomach sac before cooking. You do not have to. It is safe to eat and adds flavor. If you want a cleaner bite, cut it out after cooking.

How To Cook Clams Four Ways

Clams are done when the shells open wide. That is your timer. Any clam that stays shut after cooking goes in the trash.

Steaming Clams

This is the easiest method and the hardest to mess up.

  1. Put 1 cup of water, broth, or white wine in a big pot
  2. Add 2 cloves of garlic and a splash of olive oil
  3. Bring the liquid to a boil
  4. Add the clams, cover, and steam for 5 to 8 minutes
  5. Shake the pot once or twice so the clams cook even
  6. Pull them out as soon as they open

Serve the clams in bowls with the broth. Add chopped parsley and lemon. Crusty bread for dipping is a must.

Sauteing Clams

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in a wide pan. Add garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds.

Add the clams and 1/2 cup of wine or broth. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once. Finish with lemon juice and herbs.

Grilling Clams

Grilling works best with larger clams. Put them on a hot grate, hinge side down, and close the lid.

They open in 4 to 6 minutes. Brush them with garlic butter as they open. Do not flip them. The shell holds the juices, and you want to keep those.

Frying Clams

For fried clams, shuck them raw first. Then dip in buttermilk, then in a mix of cornmeal and flour. Fry in 375 degree oil for about 90 seconds, until golden.

Drain on a rack, not on paper towels. Paper steams them and kills the crunch.

Safety Rules And Common Mistakes

A few simple rules keep you safe and keep dinner tasting good.

  • Never eat a clam that did not open during cooking
  • Do not overcook. Clams turn rubbery fast. Pull them the second they open
  • Skip the fresh water soak. It kills live clams
  • Do not eat raw clams unless you know they came from a safe, approved source
  • Cook clams within a day or two of buying them
  • Discard clams with a bad smell before or after cooking

One more tip. Save the cooking liquid. Strain it through a fine mesh strainer to catch sand, then use it for pasta, chowder, or rice. It is full of flavor.

Now you know how to prepare and cook clams from start to finish. Soak them, scrub them, check them, and cook them hot and fast. That is the whole game.

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