How to Cook & Steam Clams

Clams are a delicious shellfish, but they require care when cooking. If prepared improperly, they can make you very sick. Luckily, they have a built-in timing device which lets you ensure that they are cooked to perfection every time. The secret to preparing clams lies in watching their shells to see when they open. As soon as they do, they're ready to eat. Steam makes that process possible, which is why steaming is often the preferred way of cooking clams.

Things You'll Need

• 1 large saucepan
• 1 lb. cleaned clams
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Knife

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in a large saucepan and add 1 tsp. of garlic powder (fresh minced garlic is preferable). The garlic is ready when it takes on a tan or light brown color. Beware of overcooking the garlic, and start again if you end up burning it.

2. Add clams to the bottom of the saucepan. Don't stack the clams, but make sure each one fits on the bottom of the pan. This ensures that they will open when they're cooked.

3. Stir the mixture until the clams are thoroughly coated in the butter and garlic. The butter helps ensure that the clams are heated evenly.

4. Place 1/4 cup of white wine in the pan and cover it. As the wine boils, it creates steam, which helps cook the clams and causes them to open.

5. Keep the pan over a medium heat and allow them to cook for 4 to 10 minutes. Open the lid and check the clams after 4 minutes. Remove any which have opened; they're ready to go.

6. Continue checking the clams regularly until 10 minutes have passed, removing those which open in the process. If any clams remain unopened after 10 minutes, they're probably not good and should be discarded.

7. Serve the clams in their shells or remove them from the shells with a knife and add them to other recipes.

Tips & Warnings

• Some people may worry about cooking the clams thoroughly, but when the clams open their shells, they're done. They differ from mussels in this regard, which is likely where the concern stems from. A bigger problem is overcooking clams, which isn't dangerous, but makes them stringy and tough. They are often served in a sauce over pasta but also make an excellent appetizer on their own. Some chefs recommend saving the wine-and-butter mixture the clams were cooked in and serving it with them. (The clams release juices when they open, enhancing the taste of the wine and the butter.) Serve bread with the clams in order to soak up the juice.