How to Clean Steamer Clams

Clean your steamer clams to ensure the best flavor after cooking.

Steamer clams, also known as softshell or long clams, are found on beaches in burrows underneath the sand. You can harvest steamer clams yourself by digging in the wet sand in approved harvest areas or you can purchase the clams to save some time. Regardless of how you come by your steamer clams, they may require cleaning to remove all of the grit and sand (which can exist both inside and outside the clam's shell) before you begin cooking.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable brush

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot approximately half full with cold water and add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt for every 2 quarts of water in the pot.

2. Place the steamer clams in the pot. The water should completely cover all of the clams. If it does not, add more water and salt until all of the clams are submerged.

3. Soak the steamer clams for approximately one hour. This purges the clams and helps remove any sand inside the shells.

4. Remove the steamer clams from the pot and scrub them with a vegetable brush under cool running water until all visible dirt or sand is removed.

5. Rinse the clams when you finish scrubbing. They are now ready to steam.

Tips & Warnings

• You may need to purge your clams in small batches if you are cleaning a large amount. Avoid overfilling the pot or packing the clams into the pot so tightly that there is little room left between them.

• Discard any broken or open steamer clams prior to cleaning. This indicates that the clam is dead and it may create a rotten or unpleasant smell in your kitchen when you begin cooking.

References

• Sea Grant Connecticut: 2009 Guide to Shellfishing
• Diggers Choice: Steamers (Purging Steamers)
• Yankee Magazine: Steamed Clams