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    Home » Main Dishes

    Beer-Steamed Littleneck Clams

    Published: Oct 7, 2019 · Modified: Jan 24, 2023 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    Beer-Steamed Littleneck Clams are so good dipped in melted butter! Plus, I'm sharing tips for how to clean clams. It's fun to have a mini clambake at home!

    Close-up of cooked, opened clamshells in a bowl with melted butter

    Are clambakes a big deal where you live? They are here in Northeast Ohio.

    More clams are sold in the Cleveland area than anywhere in the U.S., outside of New England. The typical Cleveland clambake includes steamed littlenecks, clam chowder, chicken, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, plus any number of side dishes like coleslaw and mac ʼn cheese.

    But, the clams are the best part, as far as my hubby and I are concerned. He’s a native New Englander and has lots of experience cooking shellfish.

    bowl of steamed littleck clams with lemon and melted butter

    I’m sharing his littleneck clams recipe, which involves steaming them with beer. Plus, I'll give you tips for cleaning them. But first, let me provide some background.

    What's a littleneck?

    Known for having the best flavor, littlenecks are the smallest type of hard-shell clams (“quahogs.”) They’re named after Little Neck Bay in Long Island, which used to be a popular clamming location. But they live in abundance north of Oregon. 

    Littlenecks, along with cherrystone clams, are considered the best clams to eat raw, but I only serve them cooked! (Cherrystones are similar to littlenecks but are a tad larger.) 

    Side view of littleneck clams in a bowl with lemon

    Littlenecks vs. steamers

    You might be wondering about the difference between littlenecks and steamers. While littlenecks have a hard shell, steamers have a soft shell. And soft-shell clams are often referred to as “steamers” or “fryers” because they’re never eaten raw.

    How to clean them

    There’s nothing worse than a mouthful of gritty sand when you’re trying to enjoy a clambake! Here's how to clean littlenecks:

    1. Fill a large pot or bowl with cold water and a small handful of salt. Set the pot next to the sink.
    2. Rinse each clam under a light stream of cold water from the faucet while using a brush to scrub off any dirt.
    3. Place the scrubbed clams in the salted water to soak for 15 minutes, which will draw out the sand.
    4. Transfer them to a colander and rinse them. Drain and rinse the pot.
    handful of salt, scrub brush with clam under water, clams soaking and clams being rinsed

    5. Fill the pot or bowl once more with salted water and soak the clams again for 15 minutes.

    6. Drain and rinse the clams before steaming them.

    How to steam clams

    For this recipe, you'll need beer, water and a bay leaf to make the broth. It helps to have a steamer pot to cook the clams, but if you don't, I've provided instructions in the recipe notes.

    overhead view of clams in a steamer pot beside beer, bay leaf and a napkin

    I have a steamer pot similar to this one (affiliate link), but if you're cooking for a large group, you might want to check out this seafood pot (affiliate link).

    Place equal parts beer and water in a pot that fits your steamer basket. Add the bay leaf, cover and bring to a boil.

    pot of beer broth with bay leaf next to striped napkin

    Uncover the pot, add the steamer basket of clams and cover again. Steam them until they open wide, removing each one with tongs as soon as it's ready.

    Some will open after seven minutes or so, while others will take up to 25 minutes. Discard any that remain closed after that time.

    What parts to eat

    You're going to want to eat the meat from the clam shell. The best way to do that is to use a small fork (but regular will do) to poke the meat and pull it out of its shell. Keep a small bowl handy for each person to discard the shells.

    Dip the clams in melted butter with a squeeze of lemon, or in the beer broth used for cooking. And, don't forget to dip some Italian bread in that juice or melted buttah!

    bowl of clams in shells with melted butter and lemon

    How many clams per person?

    You’ll need a pound of clams (with shells) per person. There are about 10-13 littlenecks per pound. 

    A bag of 50 littlenecks weighs about four pounds and should serve four. Keep in mind, any clams that don’t open after steaming will need to be discarded, so you’ll lose a few.

    Now that you know what to do, I hope you'll give this recipe a try!

    Enjoy!

    P.S. If you love clams, don't miss these other recipes!

    • White Wine Clam Sauce for Pasta 
    • Baked Clam Dip
    Overhead view of steamed littleneck clams in a bowl with lemon and small dish of melted butter

    Beer-Steamed Littleneck Clams

    Beer-Steamed Littleneck Clams are so good dipped in melted butter! Plus, I'm sharing tips for how to clean clams.
    4.75 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 35 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 134kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    • 50 littleneck clams
    • water for soaking the clams
    • 2 small handfuls of salt (for soaking the clams)
    • 12 ounces beer
    • 12 ounces water
    • bay leaf
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • lemon wedges for serving
    • bread for dipping in the broth
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Clean the Clams

    • Fill a large pot or bowl with cold water and a small handful of salt. Set the pot next to the sink.
    • Rinse each clam under a light stream of cold water from the faucet while using a brush to scrub off any dirt.
    • Place the scrubbed clams in the salted water to soak for 15 minutes, which will draw out the sand.
    • Remove the clams to a colander and drain the water from the pot. Rinse out the pot.
    • Fill the pot or bowl once more with salted water and soak the clams again for 15 minutes.
    • Drain and rinse the clams before steaming them.

    Steam the Clams

    • To steam the clams using a steamer basket: Place the 12 ounces of beer, 12 ounces of water and bay leaf in a pot that fits your steamer basket. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. (See notes if you don't have a steamer basket.)
    • When the broth is boiling, add your steamer basket filled with clams to the pot. Cover and wait five minutes to see if the clam shells are starting to open. Some will open after 7 minutes. Others will take 15-25 minutes, depending on how close your basket is to the steaming liquid.
    • Lower the heat as needed to keep the broth from boiling over.
    • Use kitchen tongs to remove each clam when it opens wide and place it in a bowl. If you have any clams that won't open after 25 minutes of steaming, discard them.
    • To serve, pour some of the beer broth into the serving bowl(s) with the clams to keep them warm. Melt the butter in the microwave and give some to each person in a bowl for dipping.
    • To eat, use a fork to remove the clam from its shell, squeeze lemon on, if desired, and dip the clam into the melted butter. (You can also dip the clams in the broth, if you wish.)

    Video

    Notes

    To steam the clams without a basket, place equal parts beer and water in a pot, just enough that it will come halfway up the clams when you add them later. Add the bay leaf and bring the liquid to a boil. When it's boiling, add half the clams and cover the pot. Check on them after a couple of minutes to see if any are starting to open. Remove each clam after it opens. Continue with the rest of the clams.
    Remember to plan for discarding any clams that don't open after steaming.  When I made these recently, I had to discard three clams out of 50.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 341IU | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!

    (Recipe Source: My hubby for Cooking with Mamma C. Originally published on September 22, 2016 and updated now with new photos and text.)

     
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carole Neider

      March 16, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      When you steam you lose the clam liquor once they open.

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        March 17, 2022 at 8:14 am

        Hi Carole - Whatever liquid is inside the clamshell goes into the pot with the beer. Then, when serving the clams, we ladle some of the beer broth into each bowl and have melted butter on the side.

        Reply
    2. Helen

      December 31, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      Hi Andrea, you posted a recipe for clam dip earlier
      today which looked amazing. Really want to make
      this soon. Can you please post this so I can copy
      and make. Thanks so much.,
      Want to wish you and your family a very
      Happy and Healthy New Year. Really love your
      recipes. Hugs and Kisses Helen Kozikowski

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        January 01, 2020 at 11:12 am

        Hi Helen - Here is the link to my Clams Casino Dip recipe. Happy New Year! xo

        Reply
    3. Taylor

      October 09, 2019 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious with great flavor! Yum!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        October 09, 2019 at 5:29 pm

        Hi Taylor - I'm so glad. Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Noelle

      October 09, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      Wow what a great way to make clams! Thanks for the idea. Looks delicious

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        October 09, 2019 at 5:28 pm

        Hi Noelle - You're welcome!

        Reply
    5. Karen Burns-Booth

      September 22, 2016 at 12:20 pm

      I adore seafood and shellfish, and your husband's steamed clams look amazing, and perfect for this time of year too!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        September 22, 2016 at 12:33 pm

        I adore seafood too. Someday, I might become a pescatarian. Thanks, Karen!

        Reply
    6. Platter Talk

      September 22, 2016 at 11:56 am

      Yes please! May I have a dozen? Love these pictures and your hubby's method. Thanks for reminding me that the simple things in life are often the best.

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        September 22, 2016 at 12:12 pm

        Thanks, Dan! I agree, it's the simple things...and you may have at least a dozen. 🙂

        Reply
    7. The Food Hunter

      September 22, 2016 at 11:25 am

      I love clams I would definitely try these

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        September 22, 2016 at 11:30 am

        I could eat two pounds of them myself! I hope you enjoy them, Theresa!

        Reply
    8. Tara

      September 22, 2016 at 10:52 am

      Such beautiful steamed clams! I have actually never worked with clams before so I love that you included all the helpful tips. Definitely sounds perfect with the tea.

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        September 22, 2016 at 11:11 am

        Thanks, Tara! I was determined to learn how to make them. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Annie @ Annie's Noms

      September 22, 2016 at 10:35 am

      Clambakes aren't that big here, but my fiancé is obsessed with all seafood, so I just know he'll love this dish!!

      Reply
      • Mamma C

        September 22, 2016 at 10:43 am

        It's perfect for seafood lovers and so fun, too!

        Reply

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    I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I share family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen. I hope you'll visit often! Read More…

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