Steaming Delicious Clams: A Beginner's Guide To Perfection

Steamer clams are a specialty of New England and are fun and easy to cook. They are soft-shelled clams with long siphons or necks protruding from the shell. Before cooking, it is important to clean the clams by soaking them in saltwater or freshwater to remove any sand or grit. When cooking, it is best to use a steamer rack or a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add a small amount of liquid such as water, wine, or beer to the pot and bring it to a boil. Place the clams in the steamer rack or pot, cover, and cook for 3 to 10 minutes until the shells open wide. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately with melted butter and broth for dipping.

Cleaning and preparing clams for cooking

Preparing clams for cooking requires a few steps to ensure they are clean and safe to eat. Here is a guide on how to clean and prepare clams for cooking:

Check for cracked or broken shells:

Start by inspecting the clams for any cracked, broken, or damaged shells. Clams with damaged shells should be discarded as they may have been contaminated with bacteria, which can be unsafe for consumption.

Tap the shells:

Lightly tap any clams with slightly open shells. Fresh, live clams should react by quickly closing their shells. If a clam stays open after tapping, it is likely dead and should be discarded.

Soaking the clams:

Submerge the clams in a bowl of water, using either saltwater or freshwater. Soaking methods differ depending on the type of water used.

For saltwater, mix around 1/3 cup of salt with 1 gallon of water. Soak the clams for 15-30 minutes. Remove the clams by hand and create another bowl of saltwater. Soak the clams again in this fresh saltwater mixture for a further 15-30 minutes. Repeat this process once or twice more.

For freshwater, submerge the clams in a bowl of cool water (tap water is fine). Let the clams soak for 20 minutes to an hour. During this time, the clams will naturally purge any salt, sand, or other grit from their systems.

You can also add 2 tablespoons of cornmeal to the soaking water, which may help remove grit from the clams. However, this may also give the clams a slightly sweeter taste.

Remove the clams from the water:

When removing the clams from the water, use your hands instead of a strainer. This prevents recontamination by ensuring that the clams don't come into contact with any debris that has settled at the bottom of the bowl.

Scrub the clams:

Use a sturdy brush to scrub the clams under running water. This will help remove any remaining grit or debris from the shells.

Rinse and drain:

Rinse the clams thoroughly and place them in a colander to drain. Your clams are now ready for the next step—steaming!

Choosing a cooking liquid

When it comes to choosing a cooking liquid for steaming clams, there are several options to consider. Firstly, it is important to use just a small amount of liquid, as the clams will release additional liquid during the cooking process. A good rule of thumb is to add enough liquid to cover the bottom of your pan or pot, with perhaps a little extra.

Water is the most basic option and can be used on its own or in conjunction with other liquids. For example, you could use a solution of water and salt to create a brine, which can help to remove any remaining sand or grit from the clams. This can be achieved by mixing around two-thirds of a cup of salt with two quarts (eight cups) of water. Alternatively, you can use plain seawater or a mixture of seawater and salt. If you are using regular water, it is recommended to avoid iodised salt.

However, there are also a variety of other liquids that can be used to infuse extra flavour into your clams. White wine is a popular choice and can be added to the pan before bringing the mixture to a simmer. Lemon juice can also be added for a citrus twist. For a more savoury option, chicken stock can be used, or you could even try beer to give your clams a bite.

Cooking time and method

Firstly, it is important to note that clams should be cooked soon after they are bought. They should be stored in the refrigerator (34-45 F) in a shallow bowl and covered with a clean damp cloth.

Before cooking, rinse the clams under fresh water to remove any grit or algae from the shells. Listen out for clunkers, a sign of a dead clam or a chipped shell. If you smell anything off, throw the clam away. Dead clams will gape open completely and should be discarded. Live clams should close up when you tap on them or warm them up a bit.

To remove sand and grit, soak the clams in a brine solution of 1/3 cup of salt in 1 gallon of water (just enough to cover the clams) for about an hour in the refrigerator. Some recipes suggest adding a tablespoon of cornmeal to the mixture.

Rinse the clams under cold water and drain thoroughly before cooking.

Add one to two inches of water, or beer, to a large steamer or pot. You can also add wine, lemon juice or butter for extra flavour. Place the clams in the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and steam the clams for 3 to 10 minutes, until their shells open. Remove each clam as its shell opens and serve immediately. It is important to discard any clams that are not open.

Clams can also be steamed without a steamer. Simply add a small amount of liquid to a pot or pan with a lid, place the clams inside, and steam on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

When serving, provide cups of drawn butter and broth on the side. Simply pull the clam out of the shell with your fingers, dip it in broth and then butter. You will also need to pull off the dark membrane that covers the edible “neck” of the clam.

Serving suggestions

Clams are best served immediately after cooking. They can be served as a main course or an appetizer. As a main, plan for 1 pound of clams per person, or 1/2 a pound for an appetizer.

Clams are often served with a side of bread to soak up the broth, or with angel hair pasta. You can also serve an Italian salad, panzanella salad, Hasselback sweet potatoes, or a cucumber salad on the side.

To eat, open the shell and remove the cooked clam. Pull off the skin covering the siphon of the clam and discard, along with the shells, into a separate bowl. Grip the siphon, swirl the clam in the hot broth, then dip the clam into melted butter and enjoy!

If you are serving clams as a starter, you can follow with a main course of air fryer shrimp, almond-crusted salmon, grilled lobster, or bacon-wrapped scallops.

Storing clams before cooking

Clams should be stored in the refrigerator if you're not planning to cook them right away. Place them in a bowl and cover them with a damp cloth or paper towels. It is best to cook clams within 24 hours of purchasing them, but they can keep for up to four or five days.

Before storing or cooking, check the clams for any cracked or damaged shells and throw these away. Tap any open shells on the counter and if they close up, they're good to cook. If not, they should be discarded.

If your clams are from a small purveyor or you have dug them yourself, they will need to be cleaned before storing. Soak them in a bowl of ocean water or cool, salted water for about 30 minutes, then rinse well before sloughing off any remaining dirt with your thumbs.

If you are storing the clams for longer than a day, be sure to check on them regularly and discard any that have opened.

Frequently asked questions