Indoor Clambake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 21, 2007
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Choose a large, narrow stockpot in which you can easily layer the ingredients. The recipe can be cut in half and layered in an 8-quart Dutch oven, but it should cook for the same amount of time. We prefer small littlenecks for this recipe. If your market carries larger clams, use 4 pounds. Using cheesecloth is optional, but it makes it easier to transfer the clams and mussels.
Instructions
- Place clams and mussels on large piece of cheesecloth and tie ends together to secure; set aside. In heavy-bottomed 12-quart stockpot, layer kielbasa, clams and mussels, potatoes, corn, and lobsters on top of one another. Cover pot and place over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato with little resistance) and lobsters are bright red, 17 to 20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and uncover (be careful of escaping steam). Remove lobsters and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove corn from pot and peel off husks; arrange corn on large platter. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to platter with corn. Transfer clams and mussels to large bowl and cut open cheesecloth with scissors. Using slotted spoon, transfer kielbasa to platter with potatoes and corn. Pour steaming liquid in pot over clams and mussels. With dish towel in hand, dismantle lobsters by twisting and removing lobster tails; claws; and legs, if desired. Arrange lobster parts on platter. Serve immediately with melted butter.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
A clambake is perhaps the ultimate seafood meal: clams, mussels, and lobster, nestled with sausage, corn, and potatoes, all steamed together with hot stones in a sand pit by the sea. A genuine clambake is an all-day affair and, of course, requires a beach. But we wanted to re-create the great flavors of the clambake indoors, so we could enjoy this flavorful feast without hours of preparation. A large stockpot was the cooking vessel of choice. Many recipes suggest cooking the ingredients separately before adding them to the pot, but we found that with careful layering, we could cook everything in the same pot and have it all finish at the same time. And we didn’t need to add water, because the shellfish released enough liquid to steam everything else. Sliced sausage went into the pot first (we liked kielbasa) so that it could sear before the steam was generated. Clams and mussels were next, wrapped in cheesecloth for easy removal. Then in went the potatoes, which would take the longest to cook; they were best placed near the heat source, and we cut them into 1‑inch pieces to cook more quickly. Corn, with the husks left on to protect it from seafood flavors and lobster foam, was next, followed by the lobsters. It took less than half an hour for everything to cook—and we had all the elements of a clambake (minus the sand and surf) without having spent all day preparing them.
Before You Begin
Choose a large, narrow stockpot in which you can easily layer the ingredients. The recipe can be cut in half and layered in an 8-quart Dutch oven, but it should cook for the same amount of time. We prefer small littlenecks for this recipe. If your market carries larger clams, use 4 pounds. Using cheesecloth is optional, but it makes it easier to transfer the clams and mussels.
Instructions
- Place clams and mussels on large piece of cheesecloth and tie ends together to secure; set aside. In heavy-bottomed 12-quart stockpot, layer kielbasa, clams and mussels, potatoes, corn, and lobsters on top of one another. Cover pot and place over high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato with little resistance) and lobsters are bright red, 17 to 20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and uncover (be careful of escaping steam). Remove lobsters and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove corn from pot and peel off husks; arrange corn on large platter. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to platter with corn. Transfer clams and mussels to large bowl and cut open cheesecloth with scissors. Using slotted spoon, transfer kielbasa to platter with potatoes and corn. Pour steaming liquid in pot over clams and mussels. With dish towel in hand, dismantle lobsters by twisting and removing lobster tails; claws; and legs, if desired. Arrange lobster parts on platter. Serve immediately with melted butter.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
More Like This
Keep Exploring
0 Comments