Cleaning Pacific Razor Clams (PIC HEAVY!)

Hinotori

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This is my bad tutorial on how to prepare a razor clam for use. Pictures are from a few clams as I took pictures while cleaning.

WARNING! PICTURE HEAVY!


Clam gun and 1 days limit
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This is a Pacific Razor Clam. They are wider than Atlantic Razor Clams.
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Toss in high simmering water until the shell pops open. This has the added benefit of making it easy to remove the sand as well.
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Into a cold water ice bath. Just cold well water for this picture to show it.
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Ready to clean. Use scissors or a knife. I find scissors to be faster.
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Cut from where the lips of the clam open at the foot and up the seam to the neck.
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Cut tip of the siphon off. Then up first siphon hole.
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Cut up through second siphon hole. (Yes I forgot to snip the tip first on this one)
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Pull gills off base of neck.
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You can just slide a fingernail in and pinch off the foot from neck base and from bottom of clam.
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Hinotori

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Part 2

Carefully trim off top around foot.
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Squeeze out stile. It can be a nuisance otherwise.
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Cut open foot and pull out guts.
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Butterfly rest of foot lengthwise and rinse. Now have two good size pieces of clam meat to cook up.
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Dig limit is 15 per person per day. This is 2 limits worth ready for the freezer.

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baymule

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Wow! Thanks for that. I may never go dig clams, but if I ever do, at least I’ll have a glimmer of an idea on what to do with them. Plus, now I really understand what you were talking about. Thanks!
 
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