Clams are purchased alive and must be kept alive. If you do purchase them several hours in advance, they should be kept cool and moist on ice or in the refrigerator. Don’t wrap them in anything airtight, they need oxygen to survive. Are store bought clams alive? Clams must remain alive until cooked, so make Click here to continue reading…
Like fellow bivalve mussels, clams require a good scrub before steaming to remove any remaining grains of sand. For safe consumption, clams must be alive before you cook or consume them. Do clams suffer when steamed? The short answer to this question is that yes, it is cruel to cook shellfish and crustaceans alive, because Click here to continue reading…
Clams, mussels and oysters in the shell are alive and the shells close tightly when tapped and live crabs, lobsters and crayfish will move their legs. Shucked oysters are plump and have a mild odor, a natural creamy color and clear liquid or nectar. Do not cook or eat shellfish that have died during storage. Click here to continue reading…
Most shells come from soft-bodied mollusks. Snails, clams, oysters, and others need the hard protection of their shells. This tough outer covering protects the tasty body hiding inside. Other animals, such as crabs and lobsters, also make a tough outer covering, but here we focus on mollusk shells. Where do clams get their shells? A Click here to continue reading…
If the clam shells are closed or do not close when you tap on them, then the clam is dead. That’s when you need to toss them in the trash. Another way you can tell if clams are dead if you’d like to double check is to toss them in a bowl of water. If Click here to continue reading…
Q. Are clams and oysters still alive when we eat them raw on the half shell? A. It’s only natural to be squeamish about chomping on a creature so recently forcibly demoted from bivalve to univalve status. Are clams served alive? Clams, mussels and oysters in the shell are alive and the shells close tightly Click here to continue reading…
Many clams will open while alive for whatever reason. If you tap the shell and it closes quickly, it’s fine. If it stays open, it’s dead and should be discarded. Note also that there are some types of clams that can never fully close their shells, such as the Geoduck clam, its body is much Click here to continue reading…
Since their exoskeleton is not shed, shells must enlarge to accommodate body growth. Certain kinds of clams, in early stages of life possess a gland that produces a thread-like material (byssus) that serves to anchor them to grains of sand or rocks. Can clams survive without a shell? Many clams will open while alive for Click here to continue reading…
Shock kills clams. Put clams living in 75°F water into the fridge and they will not be happy — and open-shelled clams will die. The reverse is also true. How do you tell if a clam has died? Gently tap any open clams on the counter and see if they close. If they remain open, Click here to continue reading…
Are clams alive when eaten? Clams, mussels and oysters in the shell are alive and the shells close tightly when tapped and live crabs, lobsters and crayfish will move their legs. Shucked oysters are plump and have a mild odor, a natural creamy color and clear liquid or nectar. Do not cook or eat shellfish Click here to continue reading…
