Like any seafood, clams are not supposed to receive a long exposure to air. They will go bad fast. Your only options are eating them at your earliest convenience or storing them in a freezer.
Can You Freeze Clams? Yes, you can freeze clams. You can freeze them either live or in the shell or shucked. Clean them well, place them in a moisture-resistant pack, and freeze them in a refrigerator. Do not forget to label the date of freezing on the pack.
Table of Contents
There is a bit of art behind storing, freezing, thawing and cooking clams. I jotted down all the necessary information in this article for you. Stay with me until the end of this article, and you will know the art in detail. Here you are:
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How to Freeze Clams
Clams come in three forms: live, shell, and shucked. The process of freezing them is almost identical with a sight of difference.
Here is how to freeze live clams:
- Wipe the live clams for excess water.
- Place them in an open container.
- Keep 1-inch headspace in the container.
- Cover the container with a moisture-sucking piece of cloth.
- Freeze the pack in a refrigerator at a temperature between 0-4 degrees celsius.
- Consume the live clams within 2-3 days.
Here is how to freeze clams in the shell:
- Rinse the clams well in cold water, avoid using warm water.
- Let the clams sit for a while to drip off the excess water.
- Wipe the clams with a clean cotton cloth to soak up any water.
- Put the clams into a moisture-resistant pack or container.
- Squeeze out the excess air from the pack before sealing.
- Freeze the pack in a refrigerator at a temperature between 0-4 degrees celsius.
- Consume the clams within three months.
Here is how to freeze shucked clams:
- Shuck the clams with a clam knife.
- Wash the clam meat well in cold water.
- Let the clams sit for a while to drip off the excess water.
- Put the clam meat into a moisture-resistant pack or container.
- Squeeze out the excess air from the pack before sealing.
- Freeze the pack in a refrigerator at a temperature between 0-4 degrees celsius.
- Consume the clams within three months.
As you noticed, the process for storing three forms of clams is quite identical. Do not get deceived by the minute differences. Follow them to the tee. All the steps are crucial to make sure your clams stay edible for a long time without losing their taste, smell, and texture.
How Long Can You Freeze Clams For
You can freeze live clams for 2-3 days. You should consume the live ones within that period.
For clams in the shell and shucked ones, the duration you can freeze them for is up to three months. Be careful not to open and close the freezer’s door quite often. Otherwise, the clams may go bad in taste and texture.
How to Thaw and Open Frozen Clams
Frozen clams are quite easy to open and scrub for meat. Frozen clams develop a slightly wide opening in their shell. You need to insert a stiff knife into the opening and pop it wide open. The shell will come apart quickly.
Do not try to insert the knife and open the shell right out of the freezer. Let the frozen clams sit for an hour or so to defrost first. To speed up defrosting, you may put them in cold water. Once the clams are thawed, use the knife to open the shell.
How to Cook Frozen Clams
The meat from the frozen clams does not lose its taste but loses its smooth texture a bit. Saute or steam the clams for a few minutes to regain the texture. Once the clams regain their texture, you can try whatever recipe you want with them.
How to Know if Clams Has Gone Bad
A quick visual check will tell you if the clams are still in good condition or not. There should be a slight opening in the shell all the time. Tap on the shell to see if it closes quickly or not. If there is no opening in the shell or does not respond to the tapping, it is perished and should not be consumed.
FAQ
Can You Freeze Littleneck Clams?
Yes, you can freeze littleneck clams. Most types of clams respond the same way to the freezing process. Use the same freezing instructions given above. The duration should also be the same, three months.
Can You Freeze Razor Clams?
Yes, you can freeze razor clams. Use the same freezing instructions given above. Razor clams stay edible well beyond the recommended three months duration.
Can You Freeze Cooked Clams?
You can freeze cooked clams but for a short period only, up to a week. It is not recommended to freeze cooked clams for longer than one week. Cooked clams can quickly go bad and get contaminated with bacteria.
Can You Eat Frozen Clams That Did Not Open?
No, it would be best if you did not eat frozen clams that did not open. A slight opening in the clams is a sign that they are in an edible condition. If the clams are closed, consider them perished. Better discard them.
Can You Eat Dead Clams?
Yes, you can eat dead clams. There is nothing wrong with them. Clams die anyway when you cook them. But, do not freeze them. A dead clam may quickly contaminate other clams with bacteria. So, remove them from your freezing pack.
Can You Freeze Clams Summary
That was all you needed to know about whether you could freeze clams or not and how to do it right. Yes, you can freeze clams but with a bit of care. The right temperature and moisture-free environment are the keys.
I want to remind you that you need to thaw, open, and saute the frozen clams for a few minutes before cooking. It will bring back their taste and texture. The only exceptions for sauteing are live clams. Thanks!
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