Q&A for How to Clean Clams

When you rinse them in cold water, they should close. It they don't close, it means they are dead and must be disposed of. When you cook them, they will open up again. If they are not open when cooked, throw them away. Don't try to open them, it means they are not edible.

Yes, and in my opinion, that's the best part!

If you have them alive, you can put them in fresh, clean water that's pretty cold for about 30 minutes. When they breath, the live clams will filter out sand and salt water out of their systems. You can put multiple clams in a bucket of water to do this. However, if you are cleaning their shells, you have to scrub each one individually.

No, it should not. You can soak them in salted water.

Yes, you can eat them.

1. It’s open before it’s cooked and it doesn’t close when hit. 2. It doesn’t open when cooked.

The best chowder is made from fresh clams! Start by steaming your cleaned clams in a small amount of water (1/2-1 cup depending on the amount you are making). Once opened, fish them out and reserve the cooking liquid. This will be the base of your chowder. You may have to supplement with bottled/frozen clam juice or fish stock depending on the quantity you need for your recipe. I like to use half fresh clam juice and half shellfish stock. Then remove the clams from their shells, chop coarsely, and refrigerate until needed. They should be added at the last minute and only heated through, otherwise they go from sweet and tender to rubbery.

Clam in the shell should never be frozen, as it kills them. They should be refrigerated or kept on a bed of ice, but never frozen!

I put them in a colander with a wet washcloth over the top. I’ve kept them alive for a week with minimum losses. Just make sure to keep washcloth moist.

Place them in a large bowl covered with a damp cloth or towel. Leave in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Make sure towel remains damp.