46 WILD / THE CLAMMING FIELD GUIDE
How to Clean Razor Clams
Learn once. Bring the skill home.
Set up before you start
Leave the beach before cleaning. Use clean water, a clean work surface, scissors and a bowl for the cleaned meat. Keep an ice bath ready.
Open, cool and remove the shell
Briefly blanch just until the shells release, then transfer to cold water to stop the cooking. Blanching helps remove shells; it does not make a toxin-contaminated clam safe.
Clean carefully
Remove the shell, trim the siphon tip, split the siphon and open the body to remove the gills and digestive material. Split the foot and rinse away sand. WDFW’s illustrated cleaning guide shows the anatomy and cuts.
Keep it cold
Drain and chill the cleaned meat promptly. At Clam Base, learn the process with free hands-on help and take farm ice for your cooler.
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