It is always said that seafood is best eaten fresh, so you’ve probably ever wondered if it is possible to freeze it. Some shellfish handle the freezing process better than others, so the answer depends on the food you want to freeze. However,clams can be frozen? When it comes to bivalve species, they can be easily frozen.
If you’ve bought clams but can’t cook them right away, don’t worry. They don’t need to be thrown away, as freezing them is very easy if you follow the proper process. They can last in your freezer for approximately 3 months and the truth is that it will be difficult to distinguish from the fresh ones. At oneHOWTO, we teach you everything you need to know how to freeze clams (and defrost them too)
How to freeze fresh clams
The most important thing to keep in mind before freezing clams is that these they should be as fresh as possible. This way, they will be able to last longer in the freezer. If possible, it is best if they are alive when you freeze them. To freeze clams, you must first clean them and prepare them to put them in the freezer by following these steps:
- Clean the clams by removing all traces of sand from them. Soak them in cold water with plenty of salt. Leave them there for 30 minutes and finish cleaning them with more water. If you want to know more effective methods to clean clams, do not forget to enter our article How to remove sand from clams
- Once they are clean, you have several options: you can store them in an airtight container, wrap them in plastic wrap with very little space between them, or use the net in which they usually come to store them.
- Put them in the freezer. Do not put them on top of other foods, as these can thaw with their heat and lose their properties. It is best if they are alone until they freeze. You can use an ice cube to rest them.
If you want to know how to defrost clamsAll you need to do is put them in the refrigerator and leave them there for about 24 hours before cooking. Another option is to remove them from the freezer and immediately immerse them in a container with water and salt, so that little by little they thaw.
How to freeze cooked clams
The problem was not buying clams and realizing that you were not going to use them, but to prepare them and that they would end up left over. Wondering how to freeze clams once cooked and if it is possible to do so? Of course it is. In fact, some cooks advise pre-cooking them before freezing. There are various ways to freeze clams and to freeze cooked clams, you just have to follow these steps:
- After cleaning them, put the clams in a saucepan with water and salt and cook them for about 10 minutes.
- You will see that the clams will open, remove them from the water once the cooking time has passed.
- Follow the steps above to store them and put them in the freezer.
And how about stews? Can stewed clams be frozen? Of course! If you prepared stewed clams or clams a la marinara, we recommend that you freeze them with their sauce. Never thaw them in the microwave, as this can change the taste and texture of the clams.
Have you bought clams but won’t cook them immediately? You don’t have to be so extreme and freeze them, you can store them in the refrigerator. To know how to keep fresh clams correctly, we invite you to click on the link.
Clam recipes
The good thing about knowing how to freeze clams is that you can then buy more than you need and use them to prepare recipes with clams Assorted every time you get a seafood craving. At oneCOMO, we have many ideas that you can start preparing whenever you want, here are these:
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