This article refers to the hard clam, called “quahog” (pronounced “coe-hog”) in the Narragansett language, found along the Atlantic seacoast. The scientific classification of the species is mercenaria mercenaria in the Latin. As with all seafood, you want to use the freshest, healthy littleneck clams in your recipes. If you live in the US or Canada, Littleneck clams (hard clams) are a good, easy-to-find choice for our Spicy Chinese Clams with Black Bean Sauce. If you know what to look for, you can tell if a littleneck clam is live or dead.
There are several sizes of hard, or quahog clams, and the term “Littleneck” refers to a smaller size typically used for steaming. (Not to be confused with “New England steamers” which are a soft-shell clam.)
Dead littleneck clams should be discarded before cooking. There will always be one or two dead clams in a batch, even if they were alive in the store. If you know what to look for before you purchase, you can tell whether the littleneck clams in your grocer’s seafood display are live or dead before you buy.
Hard “Quahog” clams
The term “Littleneck” refers to the size of the clam. In seafood markets, there are several sizes available, from smallest to largest:
- Countnecks or “peanuts” are the smallest legally harvested size. You will not usually find these in your grocer’s seafood department
- Littlenecks are the most common found in the grocer’s seafood display. They are small enough to be tender enough for steaming and are also used in clam chowder. Typically, you will get 7 to 10 clams per pound. Littlenecks and topnecks are also served raw on the half-shell and used in Clams Casino.
- Topnecks are larger than Littlenecks but are not commonly called out as “topnecks” in the seafood department. These are not much larger than the Littleneck, and you will get about 6 to 10 clams per pound.
- Cherrystones are the next largest. Due to their size, the flesh is tougher. These are typically used for chowders, chopped for use in clam-stuffing, and Clams Casino.
- Quahog are the largest and toughest. They are typically chopped for use in soups, stews, and chowders. You can find these in the stores, typically 3 to 4 clams per pound.
Healthy Littlenecks Respond to Conditions
Before cooking, you need to clean your littleneck clams to remove sand from their bodies. This is done by soaking in cold water, with salt and oil added, for 30 minutes.
While soaking in the water, the clams will open their shells slightly. This is normal and healthy. Clams feed and breathe by moving water through their bodies.
After removing from the water, rinse the clams under tap water, and scrub lightly with a soft-bristled brush to remove any remaining sand or grit.
Healthy, living littleneck clams will respond by closing their shells. If you see one with a shell that is not completely closed, give it a squeeze or two between your thumb and forefinger. If the clam does not respond by closing the shell, it is dead or unhealthy. Discard these dead clams.
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