Clam chowder

[jende]

I made clam chowder using both canned clams and some steamed Littlenecks. The end result was very tasty, but kind of gritty and I'm trying to find the likely grit culprit.

I rinsed the Littlenecks then steamed them separately in water and wine. I pulled them out into a clean bowl, let them cool a little, then dumped them with some juices that collected in the bowl into the soup pot. I did not use any of the steaming liquid because I did notice some grit in the bottom of the pot and didn't have any cheesecloth to strain it with. The canned clams I just dumped into the pot.

My sense is that the Littlenecks held the grit. Anyone care to chime in? And if it was the Littlenecks, how can I avoid it in the future? Just rinse them once they are cooked?

[Batard]

If it's gritty, it has to be sand left over in the clams.

The clams need to be soaked in salt water for a while before cooking them. Use about 1 tbsp salt per liter of water and soak for at least an hour (3 is better). This will give the clams time to purge their grit.

Most people recommend adding cornmeal to the salt water when they soak their live clams. Apparently causes the clams to spit out the sand and opt for the cornmeal.

If your canned clams have grit in them, I think something is wrong with the brand you are buying.

Edited February 18, 2008 by Batard (log)

[jende]

If it's gritty, it has to be sand left over in the clams.

The clams need to be soaked in salt water for a while before cooking them. Use about 1 tbsp salt per liter of water and soak for at least an hour (3 is better). This will give the clams time to purge their grit.

Most people recommend adding cornmeal to the salt water when they soak their live clams. Apparently causes the clams to spit out the sand and opt for the cornmeal.

If your canned clams have grit in them, I think something is wrong with the brand you are buying.

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Thanks, that's what I thought. I had never used canned clams before, but I couldn't imagine that they'd be gritty!

[AmritaBala]

Wow, I thought they would thoroughly clean clams before canning them! I'll have to check next time! Thanks for sharing.. )

[jende]

I should clarify, I think it was the Littlenecks that were gritty not the canned clams.

[Peter the eater]

I agree that grit from a can of clams in not acceptable.

With fresh littlenecks (or any other size) I typically find very little grit if any - unlike the steamers. Either way, a soak with a bit of cornmeal seems to get them clean from entrance to exit.

I've heard that the bivalves which are grown at an aquaculture facility are less likely to be gritty - like they don't need to dig in the sand to feed themselves, they just attach to a vertical substrate and live above the seabed. I'm not sure if thats totally accurate, but I do know that the soak has helped me get the grains out prior to cooking..