Steamed fat belly clams ready to eat with butter.
A plateful of fresh, sea-flavored fat belly clams is a common summer dish along the United States' northeast coast. From Maine to New Jersey, many families have a summer tradition of digging these soft-shell clams at low tide for a clam boil or cookout.
Identification
Fat belly clams have a teardrop-shaped, brittle shell with the animal's siphon, or neck, sticking out. Unshelled, the edible clam has a rubbery neck and a large sac, called a belly.
Clam Digging
Many seaside towns sell shellfish permits for clam digging.
These soft-shell clams live in sand on the ocean's tidal edge, about 3 to 5 inches below the beach surface. Clam digging, a popular summer activity, requires a paid permit to harvest clams from approved clam beds.
Buying Fresh Clams
When buying fat belly clams, look for tightly closed shells and a fresh, briny smell. Gently squeeze the shell to make sure the clam is alive. Store live clams in an open bowl in a refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, or cook immediately.
Cooking
Fried fat belly clams are a popular summer snack.
Fat belly clams are usually fried or steamed. Before cooking, throw away any dead clams, then soak the remaining live clams in seawater with cornmeal added to force them to eject sandy grit.
Other Names
Fat belly clams are also known as steamers, long-necks and Ipswich clams.
Tags: belly clams, live clams, popular summer, soft-shell clams