backcountryhunter said:
Would you share the recipe or method for canning clams. I usually freeze mine in salt water. What do you do with the diggers?
sure, did you mean 'diggers' (tasty foot shaped thing on the bottom) or 'siphons' (slightly tough part they extend to the surface that results in the figure-8 shaped show)?
as for canning, we clean them well, butterfly open the siphon and stomach, then pack them whole into half-pints, leaving 1" clearance at the top of the jar. 3 good sized razors fills the jar perfectly. then we add broth to fill the jar but still leave 1" clearance at the top. the broth comes from the cleaning process- we drop the clams in almost boiling water for just long enough so they spring open. the sand all settles to the bottom and we scoop out this light clam broth to use later for canning or cooking.
we add 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt and a little lemon juice (~1/2 teaspoon) to each jar, put on the lids and rings, and pressure cook at 10psi for 70minutes.
cheers, roger
update: the conventional wisdom that razor digging is better early in the tide cycle was in full force Tuesday, surf was about the same but almost no clams showing, mostly empty catch bags on the few people out today, I worked hard to get 5 and they all came out in the surf, several of them I punched up in knee deep water...but I got just enough for a nice dinner tonight and that was todays goal...