How to Freeze Razor Clams
Razor clams are a delicious type of seafood that can be frozen when fresh. Razor clams can be eaten raw when they are truly fresh, but many people prefer to steam them, bake them or even grill them in their shell. They are a seasonal food, so many people who want to eat razor clams throughout the year will need to store them. This is where freezing fresh razor clams comes in. When you freeze them, you can eat the razor clams later without worrying about food poisoning. oneHOWTO explains how to freeze razor clams.
Contents
Can fresh razors be frozen?
As with almost all shellfish and practically all bivalves, fresh razor clams can be frozen without any problem. Moreover, if you're not going to eat them up to 3 days after buying, freezing is the best way to consume them as you will better retain their freshness.
The freezer is your best ally when it comes to keeping this perishable product in perfect condition for consumption. In doing so, you will preserve the razor clams' optimal texture, nutritional properties and intense flavor of the sea.
When cooking frozen razor clams, you can use them exactly the same as if they were fresh. The difference will be in the cooking time. If you are not going to consume this delicacy in a short period of time, freezing it is the best option to enjoy it later with complete security that the razor clams are safe to eat.
If you want to know how to store other foods, you may want to check out our articles on how to freeze broccoli properly and how to keep bread fresh in the freezer.
How to freeze and defrost razor clams
Freezing the razor clams correctly is essential so that the seafood is both safe to eat and maintains its delicious properties. In the same way, the defrosting process must be done following specific times and guidelines. Doing so means you will not to alter the quality of this delicate product of the sea.
If you buy fresh razor clams and you are going to freeze them, the ideal is to do it once they are clean. This is a simple process but it takes some time. What you have to do with this bivalve remove all the grit that it keeps inside from the beach.
You need a tall and narrow glass or plastic jar or container where you can place the razors vertically (upright). Fill it with water and mix in a tablespoon of salt. When you have the solution ready, place in the razor clams to remove grit and any other residue. You will have to keep them this way for a minimum of four hours, changing the water at least twice (depending on how much grit they release).
When you see that the razor clams are clean, run them through the tap under cold water and let them drain for a few minutes in a large colander or dish drainer. Put them on a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess water.
To put the razors in the freezer, ideally you will want to wrap them in plastic wrap. You should group them in batches of about 6-8 razors. Place them close together and wrap them in the film. Put them in a freezer bag, trying to remove as little air as possible when you seal it. Once this is done, you can place them in the freezer where they can remain for between 2 and 4 months. You can keep them even longer, depending on the power of your refrigerator.
Another possibility is to freeze the razors directly without removing the grit. If you do so, you will need to ensure you defrost them before cooking so you can remove the dirt.
To defrost razor clams, all you have to do is remove the packets of clams and place them in the lower part of the fridge. This way you will that the razor clams gradually. Keep them there for a couple of hours, removing the plastic wrap about halfway through, if possible. Finally, a trick to make them perfect is to leave them for about 20 minutes in a container with cold water and a little salt so that they finish defrosting completely.
How to preserve razor clams
The razor clams must always be kept cold. This means they need to be in the refrigerator to prevent the higher temperatures from causing the proliferation of bacteria. Ideally, you should clean them before proceeding to place them in a suitable container for storage. Once cleaned, you may wonder how to keep razors alive in the fridge for as long as possible.
To achieve this, place them on a plate or tray. To maintain the humidity they require to be safe to eat, cover them with a clean damp cloth. So that they do not freeze, put them in the lower part of the fridge, checking that they are separated from the back wall.
Once on the tray covered with a cold damp cloth, the razors will stay ready to be cooked at any time you want for up to a week. Ideally, you will want to cook them and enjoy their flavor 1-3 days after purchasing them fresh.
If you have your razor clams ready and you simply want to know what to do with them, you may want to check out our article on how to cook razor clams Spanish style.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Freeze Razor Clams, we recommend you visit our Food & drink category.
