Steamers (Steamed Clams)

New England steamers: soft-shell clams soaked to purge the sand, steamed for 15 minutes, and served with their broth, drawn butter and lemon.

Naturally gluten-freeDairy-freeKetoLow-carbPaleoNo added sugar

Contains: milk, shellfish. Based on the ingredients as written; check package labels, which can change.

From the recipe book of Sandra Mills, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained cook in our family.

Steamed soft-shell clams with long necks on a platter with melted butter and lemon wedges
  • Prep 5 min
  • Cook 15 min
  • Soak 2 hr
  • Total 2 hr 20 min
  • Yield 1 pound of clams, 1 serving (our estimate)

Updated

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Questions | Nutrition | Print recipe

Steamers are a New England summer tradition, and Sandra Mills's method is the classic one. The clams soak in two changes of water to purge their sand, then steam over a couple of inches of boiling water for about 15 minutes.

Serve them with a bowl of the broth from the bottom of the pot for rinsing each clam, and drawn butter and fresh lemon wedges for dipping.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound clams
  • Drawn butter (melted), for serving
  • Fresh lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Soak. Soak the clams in a pot of water for 1 hour. Change the water and repeat.
  2. Set up the steamer. Use a seafood steaming pot if you have one. If you don't have the pot, the clams can be steamed using a steaming rack.
  3. Boil. Put 2 inches of water in the bottom of the steaming kettle and bring it to a rapid boil.
  4. Steam. Put the clams in the top of the pot and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
  5. Serve. Pour the broth from the bottom of the pot into a bowl. Serve with drawn butter and fresh lemon wedges.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

80Calories
3 gCarbohydrates
0 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
13 gProtein
<1 gFat

Estimated per serving, based on 1 servings (our estimate), using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient. Net carbs are carbohydrates minus fiber. Optional ingredients, garnishes and anything served on the side are not included, and marinades are counted at about a third because most is discarded. Brands and portion sizes change the numbers.

KetoLow-carbGluten-freeDairy-freePaleo-friendlyFor twoNo added sugar

Tips

  • Food safety: before cooking, discard any clams or mussels with cracked shells or that stay open when tapped; after cooking, discard any that did not open.
  • Before cooking, discard any clams with cracked shells. After steaming, discard any that did not open.
  • To eat a steamer, pull it from the shell, peel the skin off the neck, swish it in the broth to rinse off any sand, then dip it in butter.

Printable: safe cooking temperatures chart (PDF).

Questions about this recipe

Why soak steamers before cooking?
Soft-shell clams hold sand. Soaking them in clean water, changed once, lets them purge it so the clams are not gritty.

Serve it with

Build the whole dinner: sides, sauce and dessert ›

Pairs with: Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet or a dry rosé. Wine pairing guide

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