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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15938
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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cleaning/purging clams
we usually gather 10-12 pismos at a time to eat covered with pico de gallo or just chop up into a clamato clam c-cktail/bloody mary.
my wife FREAKS if she crunches on grains of sand so my question is:
what is the best method for getting the cleanest clams?
we usually cover with 2-3X oceanwater (while trying to get the cleanest water possible) and let sit for 6-8 hours, if not over night. we usually
change the water every 4 hours or so if possible. i've seen online some suggestions using corn meal. anyone verify or have any good methods
[Edited on 3-6-2007 by woody in ob]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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That water you soak these things in is at about twenty thousand degrees, isn't it?
Oooooh God, please dont tell me you eat them uncooked.
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woody with a view
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ambient air temps in winter = water temps. yes.
[Edited on 3-6-2007 by woody in ob]
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David K
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Fresh clams are eaten raw, yes indeed... I have many times... Until I had some that were not fresh!!!
If you gather them yourself, then you know they are fresh! Of course you are violataing Mexican Law (like when we drive on the beach or exceed 80 kph
in the desert on Mex. 1)!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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| Quote: |
80 kph in the desert on Mex. 1)!
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yeah, i get a kick outta the signs which proclain 60kph on a 2 mile flat straight-away. 
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Bedman
Senior Nomad
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Location: Orange County, CA.
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We use a mesh dive bag. Tied to a rope and anchored to something that won't wash away. then put the clams in the sea and pick them up the next day.
Bedman
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Bedman's method sounds good to me. The best results come from keeping the animals as healthy as possible, feeding continuously by running water
through themselves. The filter feeding currents remove extraneous material.
I think you're wife is correct to worry about the sand grains as a wrong bite can easily result in a large dental bill. My experience has been that
clams living in heavier sediment (those with larger grains) don't seem to clean up as well as the others. So, I'm always careful with pismos even
after they've been in water for awhile. Of course, after a couple of cervezas who gives a damn.
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BajaDanD
Senior Nomad
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When I was a kid we had a house at Newport Beach Ca. back then you could gather a gunny sack full of Pismo clams at low tide in a hour. we put them in
a bucket of clean salt water and put corn meal on topand let sit over night changing the water a few times and sprinkling more corn meal on top. I was
told that the corn meal caused them to empty their stomachs but we never tried it without the corn meal to see if that was just a Myth and we never
ate anything raw back then except hamberger meat.
DAND
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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If you're purging pismos/chocolates, they stick their mouths out and they make great squirt guns for a water fight on the beach.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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Sharksbaja
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ohyea!
Although Iam not a fan of raw clams I will eat them ala cold cooked in lime juice.
The method I use daily is nothing. Small clams purge more thoroughly than their larger cousins. Never purge in fresh water as this may kill your
animals. When I have gathered wild clams simply make a few cold salt water exchanges. They will purge faster if left undisturbed.
Steaming clams generally eliminates alll sand and it settles away easily. That is how I serve them.
Minced garlic, wine, clam broth and a little salt and wht pepper water. Slurp!
Some clams are easily turned chewy by over-cooking. Others need a blast of hi heat. Some need help, some don't. The particular clam you are gathering
usually dictates the method of preparing and cooking. Dicing large clams works well because they are generally tougher. Smaller clams are fun because
they fit well into various meals whole. A gigantic clam like Pismos are great for ceviche and stews. While Razors are best battered and fried hot.
(yes, I said fried)
There used to be time when clams were so bountiful along the SOC that they supplied local inhabitants with the protein and minerals they needed. I
wish I could have seen the place in all it's glory. What a shame the hooka divers pillaged the area so severely. I hope populations someday return.
I was amazed one time at low tide near San Quintin that there were big clams washed up in the surf line in large numbers. I can still remember that
sight.
It's really pretty easy to whip up a clam based meal. Make sure you save the liquor from the clams for use in the meal. Any of many vegetables cook
up well with clams. Whether you use tomatoes or celery or potatoes or all of them together you just can't lose. Add a little condensed milk and viola,
stew. Or make a clear broth, my favorite. Heck, add a little linguini or
noodles and yer complete.
Or you can get more creative and make a stirfry or make a dip or spread with nuefatchel or cream cheese.
Those buggers are pricey here in the states. Its always fun to locate them in Baja and experiment with them.
Questionable clams should never be eaten. Smiling clams are a bad sign unless they close immediately upon tapping them lightly.
Questionable clams make for excellent surf and shore fishing bait. Good luck!
[Edited on 3-6-2007 by Sharksbaja]
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Nomads\' Sunsets
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Sounds delicious Corky!
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Alan
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Fresh clams on a barbeque, let them steam in their own juice, when they pop open they're ready. Chase with an ice-cold Pacifico = Heaven!
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Oso
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The best are the bearded ones...
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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BajaRob
Senior Nomad
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We steam up 100 dozen amejas @ our annual New Years Eve party. I soak them in sea water for 2 days prior to the event with several water exchanges.
Not a grain of sand for the 200 plus in attendance. We use a 20 gallon kettle with a basket over a large propane burner. Can't beat em with garlic
butter and/or hot sauce.
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Slowmad
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I always do well with the fresh-seawater-and-corn-meal-overnight method.
I've never enjoyed them cooked in any fashion, as (IMHO) they turn to rubber compared to fresh, cold, and raw.
Know the old saw about months without an "r", but there is no runoff where we go, and have never experienced any real algae bloom or red tide. Have
eaten a dozen in July with no untoward effects. If I want to get sick, I buy a Big Mac.
Best clam ever? Swam in after my board, picked a couple lunkers off the sand, opened them with a chipped stone blade laying about ten feet away, and
slurped them down before heading back out.
Country Club Living.
[Edited on 3-6-2007 by Slowmad]
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
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Algal blooms and other toxic events
Can be dangerous. One thing you might consider is that it takes 7-10 days AFTER an event to cleanse themselves of built up toxins.
In the case with demoic acid which is not red, which is our PNW shellfish problem occasionally it is impossible to tell w/o scientific evaluation,
hence public notice(s) if waters are contaminated. It is attributed to miniscule diatoms. It can be found in clams, oysters crab and some fish. Razor
clams seem to be the most affected.
PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning) is another common but infrequent occurance here also. This poisoning is attributed to blooms of dinoflagllates.
This type of toxin does not affect crab or fish but can be deadly in severe cases.
My spin is pretty much the same in Mexico as Slowmads. Though I would be hesitant to eat them during unusually warm water months. The cold water
upwelling on most of the Pacific Coast inhibits these blooms most years but I've seen some big blooms and I remember hearing some described here a
couple years back. I would imagine that the El Nino effect would usher in warmer water more friendly to the red tide makers pyrodinium , gymnodinium
and others.
So be careful. Even though people rarely get sick it is wise to check out your quarry before you take it and eat it. No, there is no physical way to
check for clam toxins.
Oso..... uh..... in which context?
btw, some clams have huge guts with wierd black stuff in them. YUK! I will cut that away before eating.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
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Slowmad
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Thanks for the lowdown, Sharks.
I won't be crowing if the toxins hit me, that's for damn sure.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
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My friend Jaime preparing Chocolate Clams from Conception Bay after purging in salt water 2 days. Not sure how often the water was changed, but it
was 2 years ago and I'm still eating clams.
These were split on the half shell, seasoned with salt and pepper, diced onions and bell pepper added with a liberal dose of lime juice and hot sauce.
Then briefly heated under a broiler till warm only.
Pacifico was the drink of choice, another perfect Baja moment!
Three days and counting till we head south............
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Sharksbaja
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Chocolates are mmmmmmm mmmmmmm, good! Mucho gusto!
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Phil C
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Location: N. San Diego County/ Loreto Centro/Lopez Mateos
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I've watched the guys out at the "clam shack" south of
Loreto take the clams out of the purge tank and cut a part of them out before serving them. These are chocholates. Always excelent! Gota go,,,. got
Carlsbad Oysters on the table. (Yes Carlsbad!)
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