New England Steamed Clams
Recipe: #9094
April 18, 2013
"If you are having Steamed Clams as an appetizer, plan on 1/2-1 pound per person. If you are having them for a meal, plan on 2-4 pounds per person, depending on how much they like them! I have been known to eat 6 pounds myself, when I wanted to sit and just "pig out" on them!"
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (2261.8 g)
- Calories 1425.8
- Total Fat - 57 g
- Saturated Fat - 31.2 g
- Cholesterol - 461.5 mg
- Sodium - 6858.5 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 54 g
- Dietary Fiber - 3 g
- Sugars - 2.7 g
- Protein - 167.9 g
- Calcium - 512.1 mg
- Iron - 19 mg
- Vitamin C - 56.2 mg
- Thiamin - 0.2 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of the water in a large bowl to make a slurry.
Step 2
Add remaining 1/2 gallon of water.
Step 3
Add clams, and stir to submerge.
Step 4
Refrigerate so the clams will purge their sand, about 20 minutes. Lift the clams out of the water, leaving the sand on the bottom of the bowl.
Step 5
Meanwhile, bring the quart of hot water to a rolling boil, in a large pot, over high heat. (A pasta pot with a metal insert works great.)
Step 6
Carefully add the clams, so as not to break their shells, or get burned.
Step 7
Cover, and cook until the clams are firm, but not overcooked, about 10 minutes.
Step 8
Remove clams with a large slotted spoon, and place in a large bowl.
Step 9
Ladle some of the cooking liquid from the top of the pot, so as to leave the sand on the bottom of the pot, into a small bowl. Combine the lemon juice and melted butter. Set both aside.
Step 10
To eat the clams using your hands, remove the clam from the shell.
Step 11
Peel the outer, dark skin from the “neck”. Holding the clam by the now-clean neck swish the clam in the small bowl of cooking water to further remove any sand or sediment. (This gives a whole new meaning to rinse and repeat.)
Step 12
Dip the clam in melted butter with lemon added.
Tips
- Large pot with cover