The Easiest Way to Get Rid of Multiple Shellfish at a Time
Cleaning clams and other bivalve molluscs individually is time consuming and requires a little grease on your elbows. If you have time, you can just put them in the freezer.
In Maximum Taste, Aki Kamozawa and Alexander H. Talbot suggest using the freezer to open up these delicious snacks. Wash the batch of clams thoroughly, place them on a baking sheet, and place them in the freezer for about six hours. Then place the frozen clams in a bowl and refrigerate for another six to eight hours.
When you freeze and thaw the clams, they open on their own, making them easy to spoon away. This process also makes the shellfish tender so they don’t chew when you cook them.
This method is also suitable for oysters and mussels, but dishes such as clam chowder or other seafood soups and stews will be easier to prepare. The downside, of course, is that you must remember to put them in the freezer and then in the refrigerator beforehand.
Maximum taste | Amazon via Food52