Clams(hard)

mercineria mercineria

Tiny clams=tea clams, smaller than 1.25 inches

little ones=little neck

Medium sized=cherry stone

Big ones=quahog

New Jersians call big ones chowder clam because they are too large to eat comfortably raw and are used in fish chowder. Clams are dug and present market clams caught commercially in the Raritan Bay are purified at the purification plant in Highlands New Jersey.

Clams are highly regarded as a raw seafood in which case the clams will need to be shucked. They are then served on the half shell as a serving dish. Shucking clams takes practice but is a fun activity once the skill is acquired. A much easier way to open clams is to put them on the barbecue whole, or to put them in a hot oven. When the clams heat they will open and can be eaten without any further work. The clams should not be overcooked when using this method. When they are open they are ready to eat. Clams that do not open are dead and shouldn't be eaten. Chowder clams can also be opened by baking them in a heating dish in the oven, and for making clam sauce and clam chowder one should take care to preserve the juice which is actually the clam blood that has excellent flavor.

Latin name

Taxonomy, classification

Size

Weight

Season

Catch Method Catch Restrictions

1. New Jersey
2. New York
3. Federal

Sustainability

Landings (tonnage) -Belford -Raritan Bay Food Description