Bulk Hardshell Clams - 100 Pieces
Bulk Hardshell Clams - 100 Pieces
USA Product
Wild Caught
Year Round
Unit Size: 100 Pc
100 Pc
$76.00
25 Pc
$24.95
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Bring the ultimate taste of the ocean to your kitchen, party, or clam bake with our 100-count bag of wild-caught, live hardshell clams. Harvested from clean, nutrient-rich coastal waters, these clams are packed with pure oceanic flavor and shipped straight to your door on ice to guarantee peak fresh-from-the-water quality. Whether you're hosting a backyard seafood boil, prepping a massive raw bar, or stocking up for batch cooking, this bulk-sized bag delivers the quantity you need at the best value.
Hardshell clams are sold by size, however you are choosing to prepare them will dictate the size you will purchase:
- Count/Little Necks: These are the smallest and most tender hardshell clams. Their delicate flavor is perfect for eating raw on the half shell, where you can truly appreciate their fresh, salty essence. They also cook up quickly and are a classic choice for steaming in white wine and garlic or tossing into pasta dishes.
- Top Necks & Cherry Stones: These medium-to-large clams have a more pronounced flavor and chewy texture. They are ideal for baking, grilling, or stuffing as their size allows them to hold up well to heat. Enjoy them in a classic clams Casino or bake them with bread crumbs and herbs for a hearty appetizer.
- Wild or Farmed: Wild
- Availability: Year Round
- Package Size: 25 pieces
- Form: Live, in shell
- Harvest Area: East Coast: NC or MA
- Scientific Name: Mercenaria mercenaria
It's important to note the distinction between hardshell and softshell clams. Hardshell clams have a thick, sturdy shell that closes completely, helping them retain their juices and stay fresh for longer. Softshell clams, or "steamers," have a more brittle shell and a prominent siphon (neck) that prevents them from closing all the way.
While hardshells can be enjoyed both raw and cooked, softshell clams are typically steamed to be enjoyed with melted butter, hence their nickname.
Hardshell clam sizes range from tender, bite-sized littlenecks to large, tough quahogs, with each size class suited to specific culinary methods based on meat yield and tenderness.
1. Countnecks/Littlenecks (1.5–2 inches)
- Best Uses: Pasta dishes (Linguine alle Vongole), bouillabaisse, seafood stews, and wine/garlic steams.
- Why: These are the smallest legally harvestable hardshell clams. Their meat is tender, sweet, and delicate, making them ideal for quick-cooking applications where they open right in the pan.
2. Topnecks / Middlenecks (2–3 inches)
- Best Uses: Raw bar on the half-shell, light grilling, or steaming.
- Why: Plumper than littlenecks while remaining tender enough to eat raw. Serve on crushed ice with lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, or a mignonette dressing.
3. Cherrystones (3–4 inches)
- Best Uses: Clams Casino, stuffed clams (stuffies), grilled clams with herb butter, or thick chowders.
- Why: The meat is firm and substantial. While slightly tougher than smaller clams, baking with breadcrumbs, garlic, bacon, and herbs keeps them juicy and flavorful.
4. Chowder Clams / Quahogs (4+ inches)
- Best Uses: New England clam chowder, clam fritters, clam cakes, and clam pies.
- Why: Very tough and chewy if cooked whole, but packed with intense oceanic flavor. They are traditionally minced or chopped fine and simmered slowly in soups or bound into doughs and batters.
Our live shellfish ship via Priority Overnight with gel packs to ensure maximum freshness and vitality upon delivery. We recommend cooking and enjoying your live shellfish within 1 to 2 days of arrival for the best quality and flavor.
Store immediately in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Do not put live shellfish in your freezer. Keep shellfish in an open-top container or bowl, never store them in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers, as live shellfish require oxygen. Never store live shellfish in standing tap water or ice water.
Shells should be closed, unless they are Live Scallops, Steamers, Razors, or Live Surf Clams as the shells naturally stay open and never fully close due to its anatomy. If any are open, give them a gentle tap and check for movement, if they don't pull shut, discard them.
$114.00 USD