Smoked Clams Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the clams under cold running water with a stiff-bristled brush, then refrigerate.
• Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and saute until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to brown. Add the garlic and leeks and saute until the leeks have softened and released most of their liquid. Increase heat to high and add the wine, black pepper, cayenne and tomatoes; boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until just before it is al dente. Meanwhile, add the clams and, if desired, the lemon juice to the saute pan. Cover and cook until the clams open completely, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• Drain the linguine and add to the pan with the clams; it will continue to cook when added to the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and pine nuts.

Steps:

• Gather about 4 gallons of littleneck clams. Keep them in salt water for a couple of days, changing the water every day. Place them on a grill or barbecue and cook until they open. This tends to make your barbecue a bit messy. Remove meat. Or, place the clams in a large pot 1/4 full of boiling water and steam them open. Remove meat. The mesh, or gap, on the racks of the smoker needs to be small enough that the clams can't fall through. Some people use stainless steel or aluminum screens. Others simply cover the racks with aluminum foil and punch holes through it. Place clams fairly densely on racks. Use your favorite smoking chip (we use alder) and smoke for 1 to 2 hours. One hour gives a very light smoke flavor. The clams are already cooked, this step is simply to add flavor. Do not over smoke or the clams will dry out and become chewy. Get out the instructions for your pressure canner. Place smoked clams in canning jars (we find 1/2-pint jars work best) and cover with a vegetable oil (we use olive oil). Place the caps on and then pressure can according to the instructions on your canner. Remove from canner and enjoy. The smoked flavor of the clams intensifies as the jars age. These clams should be moist and smoky. They can be used as appetizers on crackers, in poultry dressings, or in soups such as split pea or clam chowder. This recipe yields ?? servings. Caution: Remember, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is always a concern whenever you eat wild harvested clams or mussels.