How to prepare fresh clams

How to store fresh clams

Your fresh clams should arrive to you in prime condition. Put the fresh clams into the fridge, ideally in the salad drawer to protect them from extreme cold - you want to eliminate as much draft as possible. If you have removed them from the packaging place them in a bowl and cover the clams with a damp tea towel or kitchen paper to keep them moist; this will stop live clams from drying out.

How long can I keep clams fresh?

As with all live shellfish it is always best to eat them as soon as it is practical. Before cooking them, discard any clams that do not close their shells when tapped or squeezed with the thumb and forefinger.

 

Facts about buying fresh clams

Are these clams from the UK?

There are many differing species of clams native to British waters; some of the better known names being pallourde, manilla, surf, hard back and soft shell. All clams from the UK are harvested from the seabed as a wild seafood. There are more species native to our waters but they are not marketed here in UK.

The pallourde / manilla clam is without doubt the finest tasting clam of all. Chefs all over the country revere the pallourde clam as having the best of flavours. The Cornish Fishmonger offers pallourde clams to its online customers for this very reason.

Where can I buy fresh clams for home cooking?

As live clams are filter-feeder, inevitably, they pick up sediment and planktons from the seabed. To remove these impurities, the live clams are depurated (purified) for few days before being offered for sale and home delivery. Not only can you buy clams for delivery next day, they have been cleaned and are ready for home cooking by you straight away.

Looking for a talking point over dinner?

The American hard back clam is present within our waters only because the famous ocean liners Queens' Mary and Elizabeth would serve hardback clams and Maine lobsters whilst steaming from the United States to Britain. Just before docking their chefs' would throw any left over clams not eaten into the waters of the Solent; the rest is history...as they say!