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Deep fry, steam, or simmer this delicious ocean treat
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Conch, also called whelk, is a type of sea snail. Unlike oysters, scallops and other bivalves, conches have shells that are made all of one piece and do not open and close. Although it can be difficult to find in stores, conch is a relatively inexpensive seafood. This article will show you how to prepare and cook conch.
Things You Should Know
- Buy a conch that’s white with some pink or orange in it. Steer clear of gray or fishy-smelling conches.
- Drill a small hole in the shell to break the suction and free the meat from inside. Rinse the meat and cut off the digestive gland, operculum, and any dark spots.
- “Cook” the conch ceviche-style in lime juice, bread and deep fry it, simmer it in stews and soups, or steam and serve with vinegar!
Steps
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Choose your conches.- Conches should be white with pink and orange.
- Do not buy conches that appear gray.
- Conches should not give off a fishy smell.
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Remove the meat from the shell and rinse it. If you have collected the conches yourself, you will need to remove the meat from the shell. If the conch is difficult to remove, drill a small hole in the top of the shell to break the suction and then it should be fairly easy to pull the conch out of the main opening of the shell. Wash the conch in several changes of water.Advertisement -
Remove the inedible portions of the meat. Use only the muscle of the conches for food. The digestive gland must be removed for the meat to be safe. Before you can cook conches, you must also remove the operculum. The operculum is a shell-like covering that protects the conch and assists in locomotion. Cut off any dark pieces of skin on the conch as well. -
Tenderize the conch meat. Tenderize the conches by pounding it with a mallet until it is smooth and the thickness you want. This may not be necessary if you choose a longer cooking method for your conches.- If you are not using precooked conch meat, soak the conches in salty water for several hours.
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Make a conch ceviche. Chemically "cook" raw conch in a ceviche by soaking it for a few minutes in lime juice with flavoring that you enjoy. Red onions, chile peppers and cilantro are traditional seasoning choices. -
Deep fry the conch. Bread the conches by dipping first in beaten egg and then in flour. Deep fry the breaded conchs until the flesh appears cooked. Cooking times will vary on the size of the pieces of conch meat you use. -
Make a conch soup or stew. Simmer conches in your favorite soup or stew recipes for 1 hour. -
Steam the conch. Steam conches for about 5 minutes. Steamed conch is often served with vinegar.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIf I buy conch at the fish market out of the shell, is it precooked?MicheleTop AnswererOnly the fishmonger will know if it's cooked, raw, frozen or thawed from frozen.
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QuestionCan I refreeze conch?MicheleTop AnswererNo. Most raw fish should not be refrozen, and conch is no exception. Do not refreeze, but cook and consume seafood products immediately. Leftovers can be frozen, but depending on how they were cooked, may lose some flavor once thawed.
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QuestionI live in south Texas and I just bought 6 conch from a local trawler fisherman. Are these safe for consumption?Eh_i_guessCommunity AnswerAs long as they are fresh. Next time you should ask the fisherman when he or she caught the conch.
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Tips
- Conchs can replace clams in most recipes.Thanks
- Conchs are sometimes sold partially precooked. Precooked conchs will take less time to cook than fresh conchs. Be aware which type to conch you are using.Thanks
- Conch meat should either be cooked for a very short time (as in frying) or a very long time (as in simmering in a stew). Intermediate cooking times will yield tough conch meat.Thanks
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Warnings
- Make sure the digestive gland of the conch has been removed before cooking. The digestive gland of conch contains toxins.Thanks
- Many varieties of conch are protected. Make sure you are eating conchs that are not illegal to obtain in your area. Try to buy conches from reputable providers who use ecologically sound harvesting methods and only harvest adult conches.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
References
- Bittman, Mark. 1998. How to Cook Everything. McMillian. New York, N.Y.
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/whelk
About This Article
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Reader Success Stories
- "Thanks so much. We almost ate conch that was not fresh and healthy. The directions are so well presented. I didn't know it was a fish that came out of a shell." ..." more
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