How to Prepare Clams for Steaming

For flawless steamed clams, simply follow this easy-to-understand guide.

Image courtesy of cookin'mama.

The steaming technique works wonderfully for small to medium-sized clams.

1. To steam clams, you'll need at least 1 pound of clams, 1/4 cup of white wine, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of butter. We're demonstrating with littleneck clams to show you how to steam them.

Cooking pre-cleaned clams using this method will take about 3 to 4 minutes.

Clam Recipes

2. Preheat a large saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan, then stir in the garlic. Cook the garlic until it turns a light tan, but be careful not to burn it. If the garlic burns, discard both the garlic and the butter, clean the pan, and start again.

3. Add the clams to the pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan. If clams are stacked on top of each other, the ones at the bottom may have trouble opening. Only cook enough clams to cover the bottom of the pan. Stir them in the garlic butter to ensure the shells are evenly coated and heat is distributed.

4. After coating the clams, pour about 1/4 cup of wine for every dozen clams. This will create the steam needed to open the shells and lower the heat in the pan. Cover the pan to allow the clams to cook evenly from all sides.

5. After about 4 minutes, remove the lid. Most of the clams, if not all, should be open. Unlike mussels, clams only open once they've been fully cooked. If any clams remain closed, they may not have been cooked long enough or could be spoiled, so discard them. Be cautious not to overcook the clams, as they can turn tough.

6. When the clams open, they release their natural juice, which is often used as the base for dishes like clam chowder. We suggest serving the clams with their juice, alongside slices of fresh bread to soak it up. Alternatively, you can serve the clams over pasta.