Classic New England Steamers
Preparation
The preparation for cooking steamers is key. Because they live in the sand, steamers sometimes have excess sand sitting inside the shell within the meat. We strongly recommend boiling steamers as the most reliable cooking method to remove any excess sand inside the clam. Rinsing the steamers with water is not enough to get the sand out, but there is a special technique that can be used to remove at least most of it.
Rinse the outside steamers with running water thoroughly. Put the steamers in a bowl and fill it with water.
Let the steamers sit in the water for 5 - 10 minutes, drain, repeat at least 3 -5 times (if needed) until you see there’s a little amount of sand at the bottom of the bowl - It is normal to see the siphon extend out of the shell. Note: This is the only shellfish that is an exception to soak in fresh water. Letting the steamers soak in fresh water for a short amount of time will not kill them, this method helps the steamer ‘spit out’ the sand. You only want to do this if you are preparing them to eat, do not let them soak for hours at a time.
Cooking Instructions
Cooking Time: 7-10 minutes or until shells open.
Find a large pot to boil your steamers in. Fill it with enough water to where the steamers will be completely submerged.
Optional: Add a flavor booster of your choice in the boiling water such as garlic, onion, spices, don’t be afraid to get creative. An old time favorite is to add a can of beer into the water - Believe it or not, it is absolutely delicious!
Put the steamers in the boiling water. The steamers are fully cooked when the shells open. Be careful not to overcook the steamers as they will become chewy.
Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the steamers out of the water and into a bowl. Do not leave the steamers in the water when it is finished cooking.
Save the broth! Don’t discard it. Take a ladle and pour a little bit of the broth into a separate bowl or cup for dipping the whole clams into.
Let the steamers cool down for a minute. If you are first time steamer eater, read below for step-by-step instructions.
Eating Instructions
Open the shell and remove the cooked clam.
Use your fingers to pull off the skin covering the siphon. Discard the extra skin and shell into a separate bowl.
Grab the siphon with your fingers and swirl it around in the broth bowl. This helps rinse off any remaining sediments of sand within the steamer.
Optional: Dip in melted butter after rinsing. Enjoy!