Emilie Meyer
Steaming clams is a simple and delicious way to enjoy shellfish. With a few staple kitchen ingredients, you can create a quick and easy meal that is perfect for any occasion. In this guide, we will take you through the steps to steam clams in a pan, from preparing the clams to cooking them to perfection. We will also offer suggestions for ingredients to add to your dish, as well as tips for serving and storing your clams.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of servings | 1 pound of clams per person for a main course, 1/2 pound per person for an appetizer |
| Type of clams | Littleneck, manila, purple savory, or cherrystone |
| Cleaning | Soak in salted water for several hours, or place several at a time in a bowl of saltwater and swirl for 30 seconds |
| Storage | Keep in the refrigerator until ready to cook |
| Pot | Tall and large, with a steamer rack at the bottom |
| Water | About an inch of water, beer, or stout at the bottom of the pot |
| Temperature | Medium heat |
| Timing | 5-10 minutes, until shells open |
| Seasoning | Butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, fresh herbs |
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What You'll Learn
Clean and prepare the clams
To clean and prepare clams for steaming, you'll first want to discard any with broken shells or those that are already open, as these are dead and not suitable for eating. Rinse the clams under cool water, then place them in a bowl of cold water with a tablespoon of cornstarch. This will help to remove any grit or debris from the shells. Leave the clams to soak for several hours, or overnight if possible. If you don't have that much time, you can swirl them around in a bowl of saltwater for half a minute, then rinse and repeat until no more sand is released.
After soaking, give the clams a good scrub with a soft brush to remove any remaining dirt or algae. You can also use your senses to check for any bad clams—if you hear a clunking sound, smell something off, or spot any mudders (dead clams full of mud), be sure to throw these out.
Once your clams are clean, you can start prepping your other ingredients. Clams go well with alliums like shallots, onions, leeks, or scallions, as well as plenty of garlic. Chop up some fresh herbs like parsley, basil, tarragon, or chives for garnish. You can also experiment with other ingredients like mushrooms, celery, peppers, ginger, or red pepper flakes. Just remember that clams are naturally salty, so be wary of adding too many salty ingredients like olives.
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Choose your aromatics
Aromatics are a key component of steamed clam recipes, and you can choose from a wide variety of ingredients to create your desired flavour profile.
Onion-adjacent aromatics like shallots, yellow onions, leeks, or scallions are a great choice as clams love alliums. You can also opt for garlic, which is another allium, and a popular choice for steamed clams. If you want a strong garlic flavour, use 5 or 6 cloves, or use less for a more subtle taste.
Fresh herbs are also a must-have for steamed clams. Parsley is the classic herb to use with seafood, but basil, tarragon, or chives will also work well. You can also add spices like smoked paprika or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
If you want to add some extra ingredients to your steamed clams, mushrooms, celery, peppers, and ginger all work well. Tomatoes are a nice alternative to butter or cream, and a little lemon juice can add a bright, acidic touch. Just be wary of adding too many salty ingredients, as clams are naturally quite salty.
You can also add meat to your steamed clams for a heartier dish. Cooked and diced bacon, Spanish chorizo, or pancetta are all delicious options.
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Prepare your pan
Preparing your pan is the first step to steaming clams. You can use a large skillet, braiser, or Dutch oven, as long as it has a tight-fitting lid.
First, decide how many clams you want to cook. A good rule of thumb is to buy one pound of clams per person for a main course or half a pound per person for an appetizer. If you're cooking for four people, two dozen medium to large clams should be enough for an appetizer. If the clams are on the smaller side, get a few more, as they tend to disappear quickly!
Next, prepare your clams. Rinse them under cool water, then place them in a bowl of cold water with a tablespoon of cornstarch. This will help remove any grit or algae from the shells. If you have the time, you can also soak the clams in seawater or salty water for several hours to help them discharge any sand or dirt.
Once your clams are clean, it's time to get your pan ready. Put about an inch of water, beer, or stout in the bottom of your pan. You can also add a steamer rack to the bottom of the pot if you have one. If not, don't worry; just put the clams directly into the water. Be gentle, as clam shells are thin and can easily break.
Now you're ready to add your clams to the pan and start steaming!
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Steam the clams
Steaming clams is incredibly simple. You can steam clams in a large skillet, braiser, or Dutch oven, as long as it has a tight-fitting lid.
First, rinse the clams under cool water to remove any grit or algae from the shells. Then, place them in a bowl of cold water with a tablespoon of cornstarch and let them sit for 20 minutes to allow them to expel any sand. Drain the water and scrub the clams with a soft brush.
Next, melt butter in your chosen cookware over medium heat. Add a generous amount of garlic and a pinch of red chili flakes. You can also add other ingredients like shallots, onions, leeks, or scallions. If you want to add a Mediterranean twist, include some white wine, bell peppers, and smoked paprika.
Once the butter has melted and the garlic is fragrant, add the clams to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook the clams for 5 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. The clams are cooked when their shells open wide. If there are any clams that haven't opened, put the lid back on and give them a few more minutes. If a clam never opens, discard it.
Finally, add the zest and juice of a lemon, along with your chosen herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and perhaps a drizzle of cream or olive oil. Serve immediately with crusty bread or over a bed of pasta.
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Serve immediately
Once your clams are cooked, it's time to serve them. Steamed clams are best served immediately, so make sure you have everything ready before you start cooking.
First, discard any clams that haven't opened during cooking. If a clam hasn't opened, it's not good for eating, so be sure to throw it out. Next, taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning to your liking. You can add a pinch of salt, a drizzle of cream, more lemon juice, or an extra pinch of chili flakes—whatever you think it needs.
Now it's time to plate the clams. You can serve them in dinner bowls with plenty of your favourite crusty bread for dunking in the broth. If you want to add some extra flavour, ladle a generous amount of the white wine broth over the clams before serving. You can also serve the clams with grilled bread, angel hair pasta, or rice on the side.
If you're serving the clams as an appetizer, provide a small seafood fork or a small fork and a spoon for the broth. For a main course, you may want to offer a larger fork and spoon, or even just a spoon if your guests will be eating the clams directly from the shell.
And that's it! Your steamed clams are now ready to be enjoyed.
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