Expert: Jennifer Brizzi - 4/11/2009

Question
I read your directions for cleaning clams and scrubbing with a brush is what I do and it works really well.  But I am wondering if there is any shortcut if I get a mass quantity.  Today I cleaned 100 clams, it took close to an hour.  That was okay, but if I were having a big party and doing a few hundred it would be much too much.  What do people do when they cook a few hundred little necks?

Answer
Hi Billy,

I think with that many clams you could get away with skipping the scrubbing by hand, and soak them in a big bucket of water with a whole bag of cornmeal in it, for a few hours to overnight. They will have to stay in the refrigerator, though, and make sure that you still check them scrupulously before cooking to make sure they are all tightly closed-or will close firmly with a tap--to make sure they are all alive.

I hope this was helpful.

Best,

Jennifer

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