Cooking For Engineers

[athenap]

When preparing oysters, clams or live crabs, I thought you were supposed to submerge them in cool water so that they would work out sand and grit themselves, into the water. But now I've read that you should not submerge these shellfish in water or they will die. (I guess it's on the same principle as not storing them in a closed plastic bag?)
Will submerging shellfish in cool water help rid them of sand--but without killing them?

[GaryProtein]

To get rid of the sand in shell fish, put them in water with some oatmeal so thet will have something to eat prior to their sacrifice for a higher cause! Putting them in water does not mean to drown them. The bag or pot they are in must have an air vent. Since most of the sand is in their digestive tracts, the oatmeal feeding will clean them out.

[Lintballoon]

I have a similar method to de-sand clams prior to cooking by letting them sit in a bath of salt water and corn meal (in the fridge). I thow in some dulce or other seaweed for no other reason than the belief that in some primitive way they appreciate it.
I think it is best to do this for a maximum of four hours. Longer and I have noticed that the clams "feet" or whatever that is protrudes listlessly out of the shell and I think this means they are dying. (though I have eaten them when they do this and I'm not dead).
IfI am steaming them I always strain the leftover liquid through a cheesecloth and use that as a dip for the finished clams.

[Guest from RI]

With regard to soft-shell (or steamer) clams. I almost always dig my own. When I soak them to clean them out, I first prepare the water in a clean tub large enough to contain the clam in a single layer. I add fresh water and mix in Kosher (or other non-iodized salt) until the salinity approximates the water from where the clams were dug (gaged by the rather unsophisticated process of tasting). I then place the clams in the water ensuring that there is approx. 1" of water over the tops of the clams so their snouts are able to reach out of the water. I then sprinkle Quaker Oats evenly over the clams. To be honest, I have never measured how much. However, I estimate that it's about 1 cup (dry measure) for each gallon of clams. I don't have a fridge that will fit the quanity that I soak but, I leave them in the dark in my basement over night and by the next morning, they are clean and plump. I rinse them well with fresh water and their ready.