Stove Top Smoker Smoked Clams On The Half Shell With Casino Butt Recipes

SMOKED CLAMS RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather about 4 gallons of littleneck clams. Keep them in salt water for a couple of days, changing the water every day. Place them on a grill or barbecue and cook until they open. This tends to make your barbecue a bit messy. Remove meat. Or, place the clams in a large pot 1/4 full of boiling water and steam them open. Remove meat. The mesh, or gap, on the racks of the smoker needs to be small enough that the clams can't fall through. Some people use stainless steel or aluminum screens. Others simply cover the racks with aluminum foil and punch holes through it. Place clams fairly densely on racks. Use your favorite smoking chip (we use alder) and smoke for 1 to 2 hours. One hour gives a very light smoke flavor. The clams are already cooked, this step is simply to add flavor. Do not over smoke or the clams will dry out and become chewy. Get out the instructions for your pressure canner. Place smoked clams in canning jars (we find 1/2-pint jars work best) and cover with a vegetable oil (we use olive oil). Place the caps on and then pressure can according to the instructions on your canner. Remove from canner and enjoy. The smoked flavor of the clams intensifies as the jars age. These clams should be moist and smoky. They can be used as appetizers on crackers, in poultry dressings, or in soups such as split pea or clam chowder. This recipe yields ?? servings. Caution: Remember, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is always a concern whenever you eat wild harvested clams or mussels.

STOVE TOP SMOKER SMOKED CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH CASINO BUTT

Steps:

• To make the casino butter, beat the butter, bacon, red pepper, parsley, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and black pepper together in a small bowl. The butter can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated or frozen up to 1 month. Bring the butter to room temperature about 1 hour before smoking the clams. The butter should be very soft so it melts easily when spooned on the clams.
• Line the bottom of a 9 x 11-inch aluminum foil tray with an even 1/2-inch layer of rock salt.
• Nestle the clams on their half shells into the salt to keep them level during smoking.
• Set up the smoker using the wood chips and smoke the clams over medium heat until they are cooked through and tinged with brown, about 12 minutes, after closing the top.
• Remove the smoker lid and drop about 1/2 teaspoon of the butter onto each clam. Let them.
• sit a minute until the butter starts to melt, then transfer them carefully to serving plates or a warm platter. Serve immediately.