SMOKE CATCHER CLAMBAKE
On a trip along the coast of Oregon, my wife and I stayed on Siletz Bay, whose bottom was almost completely exposed when the tide went out. Strolling the flats on the
east side at low tide, it is easy to dig clams. On the north shore people catch blue crabs with chicken necks. The “smoke catcher” method (page 98), as I call it, is handy for fast-cooking thin fish fillets and it is practically essential for bivalves. Oysters, clams, and mussels contain precious juices, so you need to place the shells on the grill curved side down, making sure they are level to prevent the liquor from running off. Depending on how your grill grates are designed, you may be able to place the shells right on the grates or you may need to use a grill topper. You will want to use small chips, pellets, or dried herbs directly on the flames so they will catch, burn, and smoke quickly. Once it is belching smoke, invert a large baking pan over the clams. This cover catches smoke and traps t in contact with the meat much better than the grill lid. If the pan is shiny, it also reflects heat. I keep a large disposable aluminum pan just for this task so I don’t have to scrub the smoke off pans we actually use for baking. Gosh these clams are good. Licking your fingers is better than after eating Cheetos.
MAKES 2 servings
TAKES 2 hours to purge, 30 minutes to smoke
SPECIAL TOOLS Large pan (the “smoke catcher”) and 2 handfuls of wood chips or pellets
2 dozen clams in shells (preferably live)
2 medium shallots or 1 medium onion
1 small red jalapeño
1 small handful of celery leaves
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 loaf crusty bread
1 SHUCK. Scrub the clams thoroughly, purge them of sand by leaving them in a bucket of approximately 4% salt water (4 tablespoons of Morton Coarse Kosher Salt per quart of water or 40 grams of salt for every 1 liter of water) for a couple of hours and discard any that are dead. Slip a table knife between the two shells opposite the hinge and pry them apart, popping the hinge and discarding one of the shells.
2 FIRE UP. Set up your grill for 2-zone cooking.
3 PREP. Peel and mince the shallots. Mince the jalapeño and celery leaves. In a small saucepan on the grill, melt the butter. Add the shallots, jalapeño, and 3 tablespoons of celery leaves. If you wish, grill the bread or make Smoke-Roasted Garlic Bread (page 367). You need bread to sop up the juices.
4 SMOKE. Toss a handful of wood chips, dried herbs, or pellets on the fire. Place the clams on the half shell on the grates on the direct heat side. Spoon the butter over them. Let some butter hit the fire and flare up and smoke. Put the “smoke catcher” over the clams.
5 SERVE. Take a peak and as soon as the butter starts to burble, serve them in a bowl. Slurp them down. Dunk the bread in the juice. Lick your fingers. Be transported to a bay in Oregon.
My new book, The Meathead Method, is out May 13. The great Alton Brown said it is “The only book on outdoor cookery you’ll ever need.”
You can pre-order on Amazon at tinyurl.com/meatheadmethod.
If you buy a copy, take a selfie with the book when it arrives, post it on your favorite social media channels, send a link to [email protected] I’ll send you a link where you can download our new eBook on Heavenly Hamburgers.
On a trip along the coast of Oregon, my wife and I stayed on Siletz Bay, whose bottom was almost completely exposed when the tide went out. Strolling the flats on the
east side at low tide, it is easy to dig clams. On the north shore people catch blue crabs with chicken necks. The “smoke catcher” method (page 98), as I call it, is handy for fast-cooking thin fish fillets and it is practically essential for bivalves. Oysters, clams, and mussels contain precious juices, so you need to place the shells on the grill curved side down, making sure they are level to prevent the liquor from running off. Depending on how your grill grates are designed, you may be able to place the shells right on the grates or you may need to use a grill topper. You will want to use small chips, pellets, or dried herbs directly on the flames so they will catch, burn, and smoke quickly. Once it is belching smoke, invert a large baking pan over the clams. This cover catches smoke and traps t in contact with the meat much better than the grill lid. If the pan is shiny, it also reflects heat. I keep a large disposable aluminum pan just for this task so I don’t have to scrub the smoke off pans we actually use for baking. Gosh these clams are good. Licking your fingers is better than after eating Cheetos.
MAKES 2 servings
TAKES 2 hours to purge, 30 minutes to smoke
SPECIAL TOOLS Large pan (the “smoke catcher”) and 2 handfuls of wood chips or pellets
2 dozen clams in shells (preferably live)
2 medium shallots or 1 medium onion
1 small red jalapeño
1 small handful of celery leaves
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 loaf crusty bread
1 SHUCK. Scrub the clams thoroughly, purge them of sand by leaving them in a bucket of approximately 4% salt water (4 tablespoons of Morton Coarse Kosher Salt per quart of water or 40 grams of salt for every 1 liter of water) for a couple of hours and discard any that are dead. Slip a table knife between the two shells opposite the hinge and pry them apart, popping the hinge and discarding one of the shells.
2 FIRE UP. Set up your grill for 2-zone cooking.
3 PREP. Peel and mince the shallots. Mince the jalapeño and celery leaves. In a small saucepan on the grill, melt the butter. Add the shallots, jalapeño, and 3 tablespoons of celery leaves. If you wish, grill the bread or make Smoke-Roasted Garlic Bread (page 367). You need bread to sop up the juices.
4 SMOKE. Toss a handful of wood chips, dried herbs, or pellets on the fire. Place the clams on the half shell on the grates on the direct heat side. Spoon the butter over them. Let some butter hit the fire and flare up and smoke. Put the “smoke catcher” over the clams.
5 SERVE. Take a peak and as soon as the butter starts to burble, serve them in a bowl. Slurp them down. Dunk the bread in the juice. Lick your fingers. Be transported to a bay in Oregon.
My new book, The Meathead Method, is out May 13. The great Alton Brown said it is “The only book on outdoor cookery you’ll ever need.”
You can pre-order on Amazon at tinyurl.com/meatheadmethod.
If you buy a copy, take a selfie with the book when it arrives, post it on your favorite social media channels, send a link to [email protected] I’ll send you a link where you can download our new eBook on Heavenly Hamburgers.
