If they are steamers, I put them in the sink in water and add corn meal. I
let them soak for about 20 minutes. They eat the corn meal and excrete any
sand that they have in them. Then I put them in a pot with about 1/2 inch of
beer and let them steam until the ones on top are open. I drain them and
reserve the liquid for dipping. I melt butter and add some garlic powder to
it and use that for dredging the clams in... Wonderful..

--

Mary" <"snddsn1NOSPAM(removeNOSPAM)"@\ wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> I've recently started steaming clams, but have only done
>> it a couple of times. In the past when other people did
>> it, I remember them as opening pretty wide. But when
>> I've been doing it they only open a little bit, and I have
>> to cut the muscles on each side to get them open the
>> whole way. Maybe I'm not cooking them enough? Will
>> they open more as they cook longer? They did seem
>> a bit less done than I remember them being when other
>> people cooked them, but I don't want to cook them
>> too much either. I was cooking mid size long neck(?)
>> clams, and had the same result with the bigger ones
>> also.
>>
>> Thanks for any help!
>> David
>
> David,
>
> You don't mention how long you are steaming them for. As one poster
> said, there are different times for different clams and different
> methods = different times. Also, what are you steaming them in? I
> have a good old New England stock pot with the steamer insert I
> picked up here in Boston that works well BUT last year a chinese
> friend got me one of the huge stovetop woks with domed lid and a
> steamer tray in Chinatown here in Boston (not a bamboo steamer but a
> metal one you find a chinese restaurant supply house) and that is all
> I will use for clams and mussels. It spreads out the clams (and
> mussels/oysters) vs having them bunch up like they did in my stock
> pot and they open faster. If you have a stove top wok pan but can't
> find the steamer, taking a small baking pan, inverting it then
> putting a cooling rack on top works like a charm too.
>
> Also, make sure they are alive before you steam them. If they are
> open a bit before you steam them, "tap" them. If they close up, they
> are alive, if not they are dead and throw them and any "cracked" ones
> out. (several other posters mentioned the same rules which are exact
> on the money) Also, while I like to toss white wine, shallots, etc
> in my clams every once in a while, my favorite way is still to take a
> little "rock seaweed" (has little pods of seawater on the leaves) if
> you can get it, put it in the pot with the clams, steam them and then
> drain the juices out and just dip them in the "clam juice" then right
> into clarified butter and then right in my mouth (the good old
> traditional way to eat "Steamers").
>
> Good luck
>
> Mary