Was reading a newspaper article about the boom in business for NJ oyster farmers now that COVID restrictions on restaurants are being lifted and this snippet, oysters’ easier-to-shuck cousin — the clam caught my attention.
IMO, if you're armed with a proper oyster knife and a holder or Kevlar shucking glove, it's 10x easier to shuck an oyster than a Littleneck or Cherrystone with a proper clam knife, of course, especially if they've just come out of the water. I can get the oysters opened quickly and with no "pre-treatment". For the clams, they immediately go into the freezer for 20 minutes before I start shucking and even then, there are always a couple that force me to use the laborious, through the back door, break the hinge, opening trick. Now if the clams have been sitting in the fridge for > 3 days, I find them to begin to be as easy as oysters.
OK, let's hear your opinions and take the poll!!
Opening Clams vs. Oysters, a Poll and a chance to voice your opinion!!
2,807 views·12 replies·by Roccus7
Clams for me but the wife does it.
CommodoreOriginal Crew16,165 postsSince 2018
I can do both equally well right handed for clams and left for oysters
CommodoreOriginal Crew12,530 postsSince 2018
Fresh, Oysters if they sit in a market 3 days clams.That's my observation too. If I'm doing clams on the half shell, I bring them up from my lobster car or my personally seeded area, 2-3 days prior to my trying to shuck 'em, and even then, they go in the freezer for 20 min prior to seeing the knife. Oysters get shucked right out of the water...
The right tools make all the difference.Yup, I'm a firm believer in "the right tool for the right job". I learned how to properly open oysters in my college "Advanced Invertebrate Physiology" lab, where the prof pulled out all the different oyster knives and I immediately selected the bent tip East Coast version.
AdmiralOriginal Crew21,694 postsSince 2018
Hey that's another thing. All you'z folks down in New Yok have me calling then clams. They are Quahogs. Cherry stones, Little necks and bulls. Up here we havs clams (softshell) as in Ipswich clams. Dug on the flats (Mud) .Unless your from Pismo beach. 😊
CommodoreOriginal Crew5,182 postsSince 2018
Hey that's another thing. All you'z folks down in New Yok have me calling then clams. They are Quahogs. Cherry stones, Little necks and bulls. Up here we havs clams (softshell) as in Ipswich clams. Dug on the flats (Mud) .Unless your from Pismo beach. 😊Hey, Ummmm watch it there Mr. Mud. Before you go trashing us New Yawka's, please take notice that the fellow who started this thread and called them clams in the first place fancies himself a Maineah' 😛😀😛😎
CommodoreOriginal Crew7,060 postsSince 2018
Hey, Ummmm watch it there Mr. Mud. Before you go trashing us New Yawka's, please take notice that the fellow who started this thread and called them clams in the first place fancies himself a Maineah' 😛😀😛😎True dat, but the article with the quote that set me off was the NY Times, so it was hard shell clams being referenced. I did define with the size nouns: Littleneck or Cherrystone with a proper clam knife AND I never claim to be a Maineah, as I'm not a third generation born Maineah.
Without that genealogical claim, nobody can claim to be Maineah, and my Maine street cred is bolster by that. Nothing drives a true Maineah more crazy is when a PFA (Person From Away) claims that they're a Maineah because they have lived here for a few years...
Back to Maine and Clams, I did report a significant die off of quahogs to our town's Shell Committee and their official response was, "Oh, Quahogs aren't clams that we're interested in" validating Mud's irate response...
AdmiralOriginal Crew21,694 postsSince 2018
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