Food Recipes Dinner Steamed Littleneck Clams Be the first to rate & review! This ultra-simple, classic clam preparation puts littleneck clams on your table in less than 20 minutes. They're irresistible with warm, garlicky butter. By Russ Crandall Russ Crandall Russ Crandall created the popular food blog The Domestic Man focused on mainly gluten-free and paleo-friendly recipes with an emphasis on classic, traditional, and international dishes. He is The New York Times bestselling author of three cookbooks and has contributed to AOL.com’s Kitchen Daily, Food & Wine, and Yahoo! Food. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 4, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Cara Cormack Total Time: 20 mins Yield: 2 servings The smallest hard shell clams, littlenecks are also referred to bay cockles or rock cockles. Frequently asked questions Should you soak littleneck clams before steaming? Clams need to be cleaned before they're cooked. To do this, run them under cool water and scrub with a stiff brush, then give them a good rinse. If your clams are extra gritty or you'd like to be especially thorough, it's a good idea to soak them beforehand. Put the clams in a large bowl with a quarter cup of salt and enough ice water to cover them by about an inch; let them soak for half an hour to purge the sand and debris. Once they're done soaking, remove the clams from the water instead of pouring everything into a colander, so that the grit stays in the water rather than re-entering the clams. How do you cook clams so they are tender? To avoid rubbery, overcooked clams, gently steam rather than boiling. They're finished cooking as soon as the majority of the clams have opened, about five minutes for the littleneck clams in this recipe. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen It only takes five or so minutes for these clams to steam, but that's plenty of time to put together the garlic butter — simply melt the butter, stir in the minced garlic, and divide it into a couple small bowls. As soon as the littleneck clams are done steaming, serve with the butter and lemon wedges, pouring hot wine over them in the serving bowl so they stay warm. Ingredients 50 littleneck clams (no larger than 2 inches across) 1 cup white wine 4 tablespoons melted butter or ghee 4 garlic cloves, minced Lemon wedges, for serving Directions Cara Cormack Gather the ingredients. Cara Cormack Run the clams under cool water and scrub clean with a stiff brush, discarding any that are open and won't close when tapped on a firm surface. Rinse and set aside. Cara Cormack In a stockpot, add the wine and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Gently add the clams to the boiling wine, then cover and steam until fully opened, about 5 minutes. Cara Cormack While the clams are steaming, melt the butter or ghee in a microwave and add the minced garlic. Distribute into small bowls. Cara Cormack Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Be sure to pour the steaming liquid into the serving bowl to help the clams stay nice and warm. Originally appeared: August 2015 Rate It Print