Wild Clams in Shell

Hard-shelled, sand-striped and packed with a sweet liquor that comes up the moment they hit a hot pan.

What It Is

A hard-shell clam sold whole, the meat still inside its two valves. The shell is thick, ridged and banded in cream and grey-brown; the meat is plump, translucent and firm enough to stay juicy through a fast, high-heat cook. Bought in the shell because that is where the flavour lives — the liquor in the cavity seasons the dish on its own.

Where It Comes From

Dredged from managed beds in clean coastal water, then washed, graded and frozen at the processing plant within hours of landing.

Specifications

State on Arrival

Arrives frozen solid. Shells should be closed and unbroken; a shell that is already open before cooking should be discarded.

Storage & Thawing

• Keep at -18 °C or colder, in the sealed pack.
• Thaw in the refrigerator for 8–10 hours; the meat stays firmer than a cold-water thaw.
• Rinse briefly under cold running water and scrub any grit off the shell.
• Discard any shell that stays open when tapped.
• Do not refreeze after thawing.

Shelf Life & Delivery

Best within 9 months at -18 °C; cook within 24 hours of thawing. Shipped frozen with gel ice in an insulated box, on a cold-chain service — freeze on arrival.

How to Cook It

• ('Steam: 3–4 minutes with ginger, spring onion and a splash of rice wine, until the valves open.', 'Soup: simmer with soft tofu and ginger in clear stock for 5 minutes; season at the end.', 'Garlic butter: sauté minced garlic and chilli in butter, add the clams and a little white wine, cover until they pop open.', 'Hot pot: drop straight into simmering broth at the table and lift out as soon as the shells open.')

Allergens

Contains molluscs. Packed in a facility that also handles fish and crustaceans.