How to Prep Abalone Steaks
An abalone is a sea snail also referred to as sea ears and venus's ears. Abalone, which range from 4 inches to a foot long, attach to rocks with a muscle called a "foot." The foot is the abalone part people eat as a delicacy. Although it can be eaten raw, it is often cooked because of its toughness. Cutting an abalone into steak is a messy process that requires trimming off the many inedible parts of the snail. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plastic or newspaper
- Trash bags
- Abalone iron
- Sharp knife
- Tenderizing mallet
- Cutting board
Instructions
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1
Place plastic or newspaper over the area you plan to work at since many parts of the abalone will fall off. Have several trash bags ready to collect the trimmings.
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2
Work the abalone iron into the shell and place it in the flesh where the abalone's "foot" is attached to the flat side of the shell. Move the iron slowly along the inside of the shell until the foot is loose. Push the iron upwards against the shell to remove the top of the shell.
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3
Put your fingers under the abalone. Slide them along the rim of the shell to detach the abalone's viscera or guts. The abalone should now be completely free from the shell.
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4
Use a sharp knife to cut off the dark gray colored guts around the abalone. Do not cut into the guts; they may contain half-digested food and will cause a mess if punctured.
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5
Cut off the abalone's hard "lips" or digestive tract located around the sides of the foot. Hold the abalone in your hand and trim off any remaining black fringe around the foot. Cut off the thin layer of material from the bottom of the foot that attached it to the shell.
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6
Rinse the foot clean. Place it on a cutting board and cut off the slices about 1/4 of an inch thick.
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Pound the slices with a mallet until they are tender. Feel the meat with your fingers to determine if all parts of the slices are soft before cooking them.
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Tips & Warnings
Coat the abalone steaks in a flour batter and pan fry them. Cook the steaks for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Overcooking the steaks will make them too tough to eat.
