Clams

Welsh Wizard · May 15, 2007, 05:52:48 AM

Hi one and all - a newbie here who uses his Bradley in the main for smoked salmon and bacon, although during the game season I do smoke pigeon, pheasant and mallard breasts. Anyway to the question - has anyone smoked clams? I have been given a load of them and would very much like to try giving them a go. Any advice will bemore than welcome.

Thanks, Welsh Wizard

manxman · May 15, 2007, 08:30:19 AM

Are they cooked / shelled or uncooked / still in the shell??

There has been some discussion recently about doing mussels in the BS recently and I imagine the principle would be the same. There has also been at least one post regarding clams:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5153.0

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5122.0

Post back with how you get on if you give it a go with your BS, I have access to wild mussels and fancy trying some of them later in the summer. Technique will be similar I would imagine?

Wildcat · May 15, 2007, 08:36:58 AM

Welcome to the forum! I have not smoked clams but love the commercial smoked ones. Let us know what you do and how they turn out. May give it a go one day.

Welsh Wizard · May 16, 2007, 01:13:14 AM

Thanks both for the links / advice.

I have smoked muscles (where is the spell check) in the BS before now and wondered if it were the same principal i.e. shell opens with the heat?

What I have decided to do is to shuck half and brine and leave half in their shell.

Will let you know how I get on.

Cheers WW

manxman · May 16, 2007, 01:59:55 AM

QuoteWill let you know how I get on.

Yes, please do. Also could you post how you did the mussels? How long did you smoke etc? What temps etc?

Thanks, :)

Welsh Wizard · May 16, 2007, 03:37:14 AM

Hi Manxman

Re Muscles, I did them when I was last hot smoking some salmon. I just put them in as is, and they opened quite quickly from what I remember and I left them in for about 30m (low heat). They did not have a strong smoked taste but were fine for me.

The problem you have I suppose is smoking them without drying them out too much. I dont see why you cant cook them and then cold smoke them if you want to increase their smokeyness.

Cheers WW

call the hospital, I will experiment...............

manxman · May 16, 2007, 06:39:51 AM

QuoteThe problem you have I suppose is smoking them without drying them out too much. I dont see why you cant cook them and then cold smoke them if you want to increase their smokeyness.

You hit the nail on the head with this comment, commercial ones I have tasted have been quite smokey and this is what I wanted to recreate. Cooking (eg. steaming) then cold smoking may well be the way to go rather than leaving them in the BS too much longer than 30 mins and risk drying out.

Hope the hospital near you is a good one!! ;)

Thanks WW. :)

Welsh Wizard · May 19, 2007, 01:22:24 AM

Hope the hospital near you is a good one!!

Not got there quite yet but I always give to the air ambulance charity!!

In the end I did not smoke the clams - too scared I suppose. Truth is I went out for a few pints of the old belly distending fluids and on return the family were there with shells all over the place. Never mind i will get there one day!

I have my fortnightly trip to the fish market next week and will pick up a few more, brace myself with even more belly distending fluids and start smoking!

Cheers WW