Clam Strips vs Whole Belly Clams: What's the Difference?
Walk up to any clam shack in New England and you have one decision to make before you order. Bellies or strips. Most people pick one, eat it, and never find out why the two taste so different. The reason is simple: they are not the same clam. This guide explains the difference the way we would explain it across the counter in Gloucester.
This guide covers what each one actually is, the species behind them, how they compare on flavour and texture, which one to order, which whole belly size to start with, and how to fry both at home without ending up with rubber.
What Is a Whole Belly Clam?
A whole belly clam is the entire soft-shell clam, shucked and cleaned, with nothing removed. You get three parts in every piece: the belly at the centre, the muscle, and the siphon, which most people call the neck.
The belly is why people order them. It holds the sweet, briny flavour that New England fried clams are known for. Take it out and you have a completely different dish.
Soft-shell clams are the same clam sold live as steamers. Our whole belly frying clams are hand-shucked daily by our shuckers, cleaned so there is no grit, and packed fresh rather than frozen.
- ✓Species: Mya arenaria, the soft-shell clam
- ✓Also called: Ipswich clams, steamers, whole bellies, frying clams
- ✓Harvest area: Massachusetts, specifically Gloucester, Essex and Ipswich Bay
- ✓Sizes: Small (Select), Large (Regular) and Extra Large (Whales)
What Is a Clam Strip?
A clam strip is a slice cut from the foot, sometimes called the tongue, of the Atlantic surf clam. It contains no belly at all. You are eating muscle.
The surf clam is a giant compared with a soft-shell clam. It grows up to around nine inches across and lives on the sandy Atlantic bottom from the Gulf of St. Lawrence down to Cape Hatteras. Its shell is thick, triangular and yellowish-white, and unlike other live clams it does not close fully on its own.
Because that foot is large and firm, it gets sliced into strips before it is breaded and fried. Our own boats land the surf clams and our team in Gloucester processes them the moment they come in.
- ✓Species: Spisula solidissima, the Atlantic surf clam
- ✓Also called: surf clam strips, sea clam strips, fried clam strips
- ✓Harvest area: Massachusetts, from our own vessels
- ✓Also served raw: the same clam appears in sushi as aoyagi
Clam Strips vs Whole Belly Clams: Side by Side
The main difference is that whole belly clams include the belly and clam strips do not, because the two products come from two different clam species. Everything else follows from that.
| Whole Belly Clams | Clam Strips | |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) | Atlantic surf clam (Spisula solidissima) |
| Part you eat | The whole clam: belly, muscle and siphon | The foot, sliced into strips |
| Belly included | Yes | No |
| Flavour | Rich, sweet, strongly briny | Mild, clean, naturally sweet |
| Texture | Soft belly inside a crisp crust | Firm with a satisfying chew |
| Cook speed | Fast, but thicker than strips | Very fast, sliced thin |
| Best for | Clam shack fries, purists, clam rolls | Platters, first-timers, chowder, linguine |
| Also sold as | Live steamers in the shell | Live sushi clam in the shell |
Both products are wild caught and processed at our own facility in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Which Tastes Better, Clam Strips or Whole Bellies?
Neither one is better. They suit different eaters. Whole bellies give you the full clam shack flavour because the belly is included. Clam strips give you a milder, cleaner clam taste with a firmer bite.
- ✓Choose whole bellies if: you want the traditional New England experience, or you grew up on fried clams and are chasing that taste again
- ✓Choose clam strips if: you want a simple crispy snack with tartar sauce, or you are feeding people who do not all like strong seafood flavour
- ✓Cooking for a crowd: strips fry faster and go further on a big seafood platter
- ✓Beyond frying: customers use strips for chowder, stuffies and linguine with clams
Plenty of our customers keep both in the freezer and pick depending on who is at the table.
Are Clam Strips Real Clams?
Yes. Clam strips are cut from a real clam, the Atlantic surf clam, which is one of the largest and most important commercial clam species in New England. The confusion comes from the fact that strips contain no belly, so they look and taste quite different from a whole belly clam.
The same surf clam is the base for a lot of other familiar clam products too, including clam chowder, clam juice and stuffed clams. You can read more about the species in our Atlantic surf clam guide.
Why Are Clam Strips Chewier Than Whole Belly Clams?
Clam strips are chewier because the foot of a surf clam is naturally firm muscle. That chew is normal and expected in a clam strip, and it is part of why people like them.
Which Size Whole Belly Clam Should You Buy?
If it is your first time, start with the small size, called Select. Smaller clams have smaller bellies, which makes the flavour milder and easier to get used to.
All three sizes are the exact same clam, harvested from the same areas. Only the size differs. Larger clams have larger bellies, and while the clam itself tastes the same, most people say the bigger ones carry more flavour simply because there is more belly in each bite.
Our online customers mostly order the large size. Many of them are New England natives who moved away and want the clams they remember. Our wholesale and restaurant customers tend to prefer the small.
How Do You Cook Clam Strips and Whole Belly Clams?
Both need to be deep-fried. An air fryer does not work for either one. The high heat of a deep fry is what seals in the clam's natural juices while the coating crisps. Without it you get a soft, greasy coating and an overcooked clam.
The same basics apply to both:
- ✓Oil and heat: about 3 inches of canola, vegetable or peanut oil at 350 to 375°F, checked with a thermometer
- ✓Keep the coating light: two coatings of breading is enough, a heavy third coat hides the clam flavour
- ✓Small batches: crowding the pot drops the oil temperature and the crust suffers
- ✓Recover the heat: let the oil come back up to temperature between batches
- ✓Drain properly: a wire rack or paper towel keeps the crust crisp as it cools
- ✓Do not walk away: clams cook fast and overcooking is the main cause of tough results
Clam strips are sliced thin, so they are done in well under two minutes. Whole bellies are thicker and take a little longer. Both are ready when they float to the top of the oil and turn golden brown.
Full step by step instructions are in our crispy fried seafood guide, and we include a printed recipe card with every whole belly clam order.
Are Whole Belly Clams and Clam Strips Available Year Round?
Both are listed as available year round, but whole belly clams are a wild inshore product and supply can move. Rain closures and red tide can affect the availability and the price of steamers, frying clams and razor clams.
If you want the detail on why wild supply shifts through the year, we wrote a separate piece on what affects wild-caught seafood availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Shop Clams from Our Dock
We are a Gloucester company. Our boats land the surf clams that become our clam strips, and local diggers bring us the soft-shell clams that become our whole bellies. Everything is processed at our own facility and shipped overnight. Review each product page for its current size, origin and preparation details.
More Clam Guides
Keep learning with these Intershell guides.