Which clams are the best

Because of their size, they tend to be tough and not as sweet as smaller varieties. Cherrystone clams are the next size down of quahogs, less than 3-inches across and in the 2- to 4-ounce range. These are sweeter and more tender than larger clams and are excellent for stuffing and broiling.

They are sometimes eaten raw, although some people consider cherrystones just a bit too large to be eaten on the half shell. Littleneck clams, named for Littleneck Bay on Long Island, are the smallest, most delectable, and most expensive of the quahog clams. Mahogany clams are another variety of hard-shell clam, easily recognizable by the reddish-brown color of their shells.

Because of their size and subsequent toughness, surf clams are most often processed and sold in cans and frozen as chopped clams. When buying live clams, tap the shells to detect some movement—a retraction of the neck for soft-shell clams or the snapping closed of the shells for hard-shells.

Store clams in an open bag in the refrigerator. I don't know anyone who pronounces quahog as described above "KWAH-hahg". Those of us who live in New England and buy or otherwise consume these clams pronounce it "CO-hog", with a long O. Already a subscriber? Log in. Get the print magazine, 25 years of back issues online, over 7, recipes, and more. Start your FREE trial. Thousands of clam species live in the wild, though not all are edible.

Quahogs pronounced: KO-hogs, with regional variations include littlenecks, topnecks, cherrystones, and chowder clams. These clam varieties range from about 1 to 5 inches in diameter, with littlenecks being the smallest in this list, and chowder clams the largest and oldest at harvest.

Hard shell clams have short siphons the part of the clam that filters sea water for feeding and bury themselves in shallow sand. Quahogs are native to the Eastern seaboard, from the Canadian coast to Florida, and particularly in Rhode Island. Fresh quahogs have tightly-closed shells that range in shades of white, cream, brown, and gray.

Their color appears variegated, with darker rings ranging from lighter shades of brown to dark gray and black. Native to the Pacific Ocean, this clam is reared in farms up and down the West Coast. Residing on the Eastern seaboard of North America, from South Carolina to Nova Scotia, Surf clams can be found on the ocean floor to depths of up to feet. One would rarely see them called out on a menu or at a fish shop. Most surf clams are processed, often mechanically cut into clam strips.

A must-try in Oregon and Washington, long and lean Pacific razor clams have a firm texture and mild brininess with a subtle sweetness. They're good raw or cooked, especially the white leg that the clams use to burrow into the sand. The shells are delicate and they need to be cleaned thoroughly. The best way is to soak them in salted water with either a handful of cornmeal or cracked black pepper, which acts as an irritant. The clams draw it in and expel it out with whatever sand may be lurking inside the shell.

The siphon or trunk is most commonly served raw known as mirugai in sushi and sashimi or gently warmed. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Featured Video. Types of Clams. Hard-Shell, Quahog, and Round. Continue to 5 of 10 below. Razor and Pacific. Razor, Atlantic Jackknife, and Bamboo.

Ocean Quahog. Continue to 9 of 10 below. Surf, Bar, and Skimmers. Donax, Bean, Tellines, and Coquinas. Read More.