Horseneck and Geoduck clam can taste delicious if you cook them properly. Sadly, not many people know how to clean them to get the edible part from the clams. It is best to leave the cooking to a professional to avoid waste. Finding these the Geoduck or Horseneck clam can be quite a challenge if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Most of the time you’re relying on the size of holes in the sand to get these clams.
The general shape of both clams is quite similar, so it can be hard for some people to differentiate between the two clams. In this article, we will be going over both clams in detail to make it easier for you to differentiate between the two clams.
Horseneck Clam vs Geoduck Clam:
Horseneck Clam
The major difference between the Horseneck and the Geoduck clam is that the neck is somewhat different. In the Horseneck clam, you have a big hole on the top of the surface and it is easier to spot them. Moreover, it is common for weeds and barnacles to grow off of this clam. A few people have mentioned that the neck of the clam is somewhat leathery to the touch. Also, when you look, you can find some tentacles on top of the siphon beyond the leathery shield.
Usually, these clams will be flush with the surface or you can find them sticking out a little bit from the surface. That makes it easier for people to spot these clams and collect them for meat. However, some people have reported that the clams that are not deep in the sand have less meat. So, if you want to get a good amount of meat from your Horseneck clams then you’ll have to do a lot of digging.
To cook the clam, you will have to first dip the siphon into hot water for a few seconds and then put it immediately in cold water. At this stage, the siphon can be removed from the shell. You can now cook the siphon and save the shell for other recipes.
For the siphon, you will need to remove the skin from the neck and then remove the core from the meat. Now, after cleaning it properly, you can make thin strips and enjoy it with different recipes. It can be hard to get every step perfectly on the first try but make sure to loosen the skin properly before moving forward.
Geoduck Clam
As compared to the Horseneck Clam there is no leathery shield on top of its siphon. Moreover, there are two smaller holes on top of the siphon instead of one big hole. While looking for these clams, you need to focus on oval-shaped holes in the sand and that will be a giveaway for Geoduck clams. Now, there won’t be any weeds or sea life growing on top of it because of the absence of a leathery shield.
Aside from that, when you look at top of the siphon, you won’t find any tentacles. The general shape is similar to that of Horseneck clam and you won’t be able to tell a difference unless you inspect the siphon carefully. As far as the cooking procedure is concerned, you will be following a somewhat similar method. First, you will need to focus on loosening the skin with the help of hot and cold water.
A mistake that many amateurs make is that they will keep the siphon in the hot water for too long. Keeping the siphon in the water for more than 20 seconds can affect the final taste of the recipe. So, make sure to remove the clam from the boiling water within 10 to 20 seconds. Then you can remove the skin from the siphon after separating the shell.
Most people just like to order these clams for the siphon. While the shell can also be used for other recipes in the book. After cleaning the clam thoroughly, the siphon is turned into several strips that are served after processing. As far as the shell is concerned, individuals will need to remove the guts and clean it properly before adding it to their recipes. There are different techniques used by chefs to cook the clams. So, we suggest that you try different methods each time to explore your flavor.