Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 09:43:02 AM

Title: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 09:43:02 AM: Went clam digging yesterday. Did well and got limits. As soon as they were dug put them on ice. For the remainder of day and night. As they were on ice,they started opening up. Is this normal. The meat feels firm and smells good but thoughts they were supposed to stay closed until after cooking opens them up. Thanks for any help
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: CP on May 14, 2014, 09:49:20 AM: That’s normal for iced clams, they are still good to eat and probably still alive. I like to keep them in salt water for 12-24 hours so they can “spit” out any sand that might be in them.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 09:53:34 AM: Cool thanks. As far as storing them in saltwater I didn't bring any home with me for storing in so would making a saltwater solution work or putting in freshwater with cornbread.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: h20hunter on May 14, 2014, 09:54:26 AM: Anyone ever put them in a bucket of clean saltwater with a healthy dose of cornmeal? I always heard that was a good way to cleam 'em out.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: superdown on May 14, 2014, 10:06:09 AM: Quote from: h20hunter on May 14, 2014, 09:54:26 AM
Anyone ever put them in a bucket of clean saltwater with a healthy dose of cornmeal? I always heard that was a good way to cleam 'em out.
That's what we have always done but use a bowl upside down in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and start with the largest ones in the bottom and end with the small ones up top. Leave them like that over night in a cool place and you end up with a real nice ring of sand in the bottom of the bucket we add corn meal a couple of times over the course of the night.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 14, 2014, 10:09:19 AM: clams and mussels "relax". When you gently agitate them, they should close again.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: CP on May 14, 2014, 10:15:52 AM: I’ve found cornmeal just makes a mess, clean saltwater from where you found them is best but since you don’t have any just keep them cool until you cook them.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 10:17:53 AM: The other question is with these clams do I need to clean them similar like I would razors or can you steam them whole and eat the whole clam like at a restaurant. Some are small some are quite large.

And when doing the cornmeal trick to get sand out if I don't have saltwater what's the best way?

Also if you don't want to cook for a week or two until family get together or something can you freeze prior to cooking.

This is a big help in teaching me and others ways of clam prepping
Thanks
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 10:34:41 AM: The other thing is the ice started to melt over night and the clams were a bit submerged in water. Like I said they smell good so think these are good to go. I just don't know weather to clean them first or steam whole
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 14, 2014, 10:47:54 AM: Make seawater by adding 1.25 ounces of sea salt to 1 liter of distilled or spring water. Take a cup of the water out and heat it in the microwave to dissolve the salt in it fast. Make sure the rest is cold.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 11:19:07 AM: Sounds good. Does anybody steam them whole?
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: pianoman9701 on May 14, 2014, 11:25:07 AM: Quote from: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 11:19:07 AM
Sounds good. Does anybody steam them whole?

I do. I also eat them raw.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 11:30:49 AM: I'll give it a shot and see how it goes.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: DoubleJ on May 14, 2014, 11:58:25 AM: Cornmeal is not needed, just clean salt water

Fresh water will kill them. Do not put them in fresh water

steam and eat. Throw out any that don't open with a steaming
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: magnanimous_j on May 14, 2014, 12:36:15 PM: Quote from: duckmen1 on May 14, 2014, 09:43:02 AM
Went clam digging yesterday. Did well and got limits. As soon as they were dug put them on ice. For the remainder of day and night. As they were on ice,they started opening up. Is this normal. The meat feels firm and smells good but thoughts they were supposed to stay closed until after cooking opens them up. Thanks for any help

It's normal. Give the open ones a couple of taps and they should close up within a minute or two. Throw them out if they don't.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: superdown on May 14, 2014, 01:31:16 PM: Some people may not find the cornmeal necessary but we like it. We find that the clams purge most of the green stuff out there stomachs and it becomes almost like a little bite of bread and you will notice a lot cleaner clams using it than if you don't. we have done cornmeal fed clams versus just water purged clams and there is enough of a difference that my whole family notices if it's not done.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: Igottanewknee on May 14, 2014, 02:48:40 PM: Quote from: DoubleJ on May 14, 2014, 11:58:25 AM
Cornmeal is not needed, just clean salt water

Fresh water will kill them. Do not put them in fresh water

steam and eat. Throw out any that don't open with a steaming
:yeah:
If you got a old fridge, put them in there in salt water to get another day out of them.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: DoubleJ on May 14, 2014, 03:05:40 PM: Quote from: Igottanewknee on May 14, 2014, 02:48:40 PM
Quote from: DoubleJ on May 14, 2014, 11:58:25 AM
Cornmeal is not needed, just clean salt water

Fresh water will kill them. Do not put them in fresh water

steam and eat. Throw out any that don't open with a steaming
:yeah:
If you got a old fridge, put them in there in salt water to get another day out of them.

If you have a fridge, a bucket of clean Puget Sound water, and an air compressor that you can airate the water with for about 2 minutes twice a day, you can keep them upwards of 7 days. I've done it a couple of times when I was taking them back east for friends or family and couldn't dig them fresh the day I was leaving. After 7 days, almost 100% were still alive upon arrival in Eastern Washington.
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: Fl0und3rz on May 14, 2014, 03:45:24 PM: You've killed them. You must deliver them to me, so I can give them a proper "burial."
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: Bean Counter on May 14, 2014, 03:46:19 PM: Quote from: DoubleJ on May 14, 2014, 11:58:25 AM
....
steam and eat. Throw out any that don't open with a steaming

Why do you say this?
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: scottcrb on May 14, 2014, 03:50:26 PM: if they dont open after steaming they were already dead and could be bad. shellfish poisoning is no bueno
Title: Re: Clam storing question
Post by: DP on May 14, 2014, 04:02:45 PM: We take clams off our beach on Hood Canal regularly. Bring them back in 5 gallon buckets, or cooler with salt water. We never bother with adding anything to the water to get them to purge. Never had a problem with sand. One thing I do to get several days, if not a week out of them, is to take some of the salt water out and freeze it. Big blocks that last several hours. Keep rotating in fresh ice. They stay real happy. Works the same just putting them in the fridge, but there isn't always room. As far as cooking them, we don't cook them in water. Just throw them in a pan, add anything you want for flavor, be it shallots, garlic, splash of white wine. They have plenty of liquid in them. Cook until all are open. Melted butter with a touch of cayenne pepper for heat.