A Connoisseur's Guide

To Handling & Preparing Gastropods

  • Northern Moon Snail

  • Common Periwinkle

  • Channeled Whelk

Storing Your Gastropods

Here are the general rules on storing live gastropods, any species.

Refrigerate Immediately

Remove the gastropods from their packaging and place them in a bowl in your refrigerator. The ideal storage temperature for live seafood is 38° - 42°F.

Keep Them Hydrated

All gastropods need to be kept properly hydrated. Cover the bowl with a moist paper towel to prevent the clams from drying out.

What To Avoid

  • Do NOT put them on ice. Freshwater will kill them.
  • Do NOT store them in a sealed bag. They need to breathe.
  • Do NOT store them in a warm or unrefrigerated environment.

Cooking Your Gastropods

Cooking times and preparation ideas vary significantly depending on the species and size of the gastropod you're preparing. Some varieties require more extensive preparation and longer cooking times, especially considering differences based on their harvest location.

Moon Snails

  1. Rinsing: Rinse the moonsnails thoroughly under cold running water to remove any sand, sediment, or other debris from their shells.
  2. Cooking: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the moonsnails and cook for approximately 40 minutes. This extended cooking time is necessary to tenderize the meat.
  3. Meat Removal: Drain the snails and allow them to cool slightly. Use a fork or a small pick to gently pull the meat out of the shell. A thin, hard film or operculum might be attached to the meat; this is not edible and should be discarded.
  4. Final Cleaning: The meat should be firm. Rub off any of the softer, pulpy internal organs to isolate the firm, edible foot muscle. Since Moon Snails live in the sand, pay extra attention and care to rinsing any sand from the meat.
  5. Tenderizing (Optional): Some chefs recommend slicing the meat very thin and pounding it lightly to tenderize it further before serving.

Smooth Conch (Channeled Whelk)

  1. Cleaning: Scrub the shells thoroughly with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any muck.
  2. Tenderizing: Unlike smaller mollusks, whelks benefit from a tenderizing step. This can be done by pounding the raw, shucked meat with a meat mallet. Alternatively, some find that freezing and thawing the meat before cooking helps to break down the tough muscle fibers.
  3. Cooking: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whelks and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Overcooking will make the meat rubbery.
  4. Meat Removal: Once cooked, cool the whelks and use a fork to pull the meat out. You may need to use a knife to help cut the attachment to the shell.
  5. Final Cleaning: Discard the spiral-shaped guts and the hard operculum. The edible part is the large foot muscle.

Periwinkle

  1. Purging: Place the periwinkles in a bucket of salted water (simulated seawater: about 35 grams of salt per liter of water) for a few hours. This allows them to purge any sand and grit.
  2. Rinsing: Rinse the periwinkles meticulously under cold running water until the water runs completely clear.
  3. Cooking: Bring a pot of fresh, salted water to a boil. Add the periwinkles and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Some recipes call for steaming with a splash of wine for added flavor.
  4. Meat Removal: Use a small pick, a skewer, or an unfolded paper clip to pull the meat out of the shell. Discard the small, brown, hard operculum (the "door" of the shell).

Moon Snails (Northern Moon Snail)

The Northern Moon Snail (Euspira heros) is a large and distinctive marine snail known for its perfectly smooth, globular, and spiral-shaped shell, which is typically a pale gray, white, or purple color. Moonsnails have a distinctive, beautiful shell and a large, edible foot. The meat, when cooked properly, has a texture and flavor similar to conch or whelk. They are typically brought in as a "bi-catch" with surf clams.

  • Appearance: They have a smooth, globular shell with a distinct spiral shape. Shell colors typically range from pale gray to tan or white. They possess a massive, fleshy foot that can expand far beyond their shell.
  • Habitat: Moonsnails are found on the sandy and muddy seafloors of the Atlantic coast, from the shores of Canada down to North Carolina.
  • Uses: Beyond their use as a food source, their beautifully crafted shells are highly sought after by collectors, and their unique operculum (the hard "door" that seals the shell) is sometimes used in jewelry and crafts.
Serving Suggestions

Smooth Conch (Channeled Whelk)

The Channeled Whelk (Busycotypus canaliculatus) is a large and impressive sea snail easily identified by its substantial, cream-colored shell with a distinctive spiral staircase of channels or grooves that give the species its name.

  • Appearance: They have a large, cream-colored shell with a distinctive spiral of channels or grooves. Their shells are substantial and robust.
  • Habitat: This species inhabits sandy and muddy sea beds along the Atlantic coast, ranging from Massachusetts to Florida.
  • Uses: Historically, their large shells were used as horns or trumpets by coastal communities, and their meat has long been a staple in regional seafood dishes, particularly in Italian-American cuisine where it is often referred to as "scungilli."

Periwinkle

The Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea) is a small, hardy marine snail with a conical, spiral shell that can range in color from gray, black, or dark brown to olive green, often with bands of a different shade. Periwinkles are small, edible sea snails with a mild, sweet, and oceanic flavor. They are a beloved delicacy in many coastal regions and are known for being easy to cook.

  • Appearance: A small, conical snail with a spiral shell. Shell colors vary widely, including shades of gray, black, dark brown, and olive green, sometimes with colored bands.
  • Habitat: They are a very common species found in the intertidal zone of rocky coastlines across the North Atlantic. They cling to rocks and seaweed.
  • Uses: While they may be small, periwinkles have a rich history as a food source, particularly in European coastal regions, where they are enjoyed as a simple, boiled snack. Their small size and abundance make them an easy-to-harvest delicacy.
Serving Suggestions

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