Clams

How to Choose the Best

There are many types of clams with a wide range of shapes, sizes and colors. To be safe, only purchase clams that are still alive. Tap their shells to watch the live ones close tight, while the dead ones will not respond. Fresh clams should smell of the sea and not fishy. Shucked clams should be sold in clear, not murky, liquid.

Shelf Life and Storage

Store clams in the refrigerator, well ventilated, for up to two days after purchase. Do not store live clams in an airtight container or plastic bag or submerge them in water or they will die. Rinse fresh clams before cooking to rid them of any ingested sand. Canned clams should not be opened until needed. Refrigerate opened canned clams up to four days in the refrigerator.

Freezing

Freeze steamed and shucked clam meat, preferably in its own juices, for up to four months.

Preparation Suggestions

Regional menu items feature the clam in variations of similar themes. Clams star in two well known soups—New England and Manhattan clam chowder. New England is a cream- or milk-based soup while the Manhattan version has a tomato base. The East coast has its summer clambakes—a large production with lobster, corn, potatoes and clams buried and cooked in a sandpit on the shore. Italian-American fishermen in San Francisco created cioppino—a seafood stew studded with crab, clams, mussels and shrimp.