If you don’t live in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST my guess is a razor clam po’ boy won’t send you into ecstacy the way it does those of us who live here. We must be like New Englanders who would walk a mile for a good lobster roll or Southern connoiseurres who prefer their po’ boys made with fried oysters. The bottom line is that this is a sublime sandwich that can be made with whatever you have on hand…halibut…salmon…shrimp…as long as it is deep fried to a crispy golden brown and slathered in a zesty sauce .
Recreational digging for razor clams is truly a family sport. All you need is a small clam shovel or a “clam gun” (the white tube seen in the photos) a container to put your clams in and most important, your clam license. Clammers are allowed to dig 15 clams per day per licensed person and the State means it. All dug clams count and small ones and any with cracked shells have to be kept. You can count on Oregon Fisheries guys to be out dressed as clammers and when they nab you it’s big trouble. They can confiscate all your equipment including your car and fine a flat fee (around $250 plus an additional amount for every clam over 15). The reason I’m telling you this is to illustrate how serious we Oregonians are about maintaining the quality of our beaches. You seldom see any litter on the beach, and if there is some left on the sand a beach walker will usually pick it up. During the fall and winter when low tides occur at night, thousands of clam diggers brave the elements to dig by lantern or flash light. Because there is a great deal of interest in digging at all times of the year, seasons are set to allow digging during daylight spring tides when there is better weather and during the fall/winter when diggers have to deal with the elements, but not as many clam diggers.
My family loves razor clams and we are among the group of crazy people who will go out in the middle of the night in winter with miner’s lamps on our heads and knee high boots on our feet to hunt these elusive bivalves. On nights like that we won’t see many clammers but if the low tide happens to be in good weather during daylight hours there could easily be thousands of people on the beach vying to dig their daily limit.
The blueprint for a good po’ boy is simple: crispy hot razor clams on a toasted roll, shredded iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes and a generous spoonful of a good sauce like my favorite SEAFOOD REMOULADE.
As you know if you have visited my blog for any length of time my family loves the North Oregon Coast. We spent a recent Thanksgiving there and happened to hit an absolutely gorgeous weekend and a good low clam tide. Razors can reach six inches in length and the little tail that you see in the photo is their “digger.” They can feel the vibrations of somebody walking on the sand and can literally dig faster down into the sand than the person with the clam gun can go after them. It isn’t unusual to see somebody up to their shoulder in the sand trying to get enough of a grasp of the shell to pull the little bugger out. Don’t laugh…they often get away.
Little pimples in the sand tip off clammers to their presence. The clams breathe through these tiny holes and their necks are right below the surface. Sometimes you can see the neck extending a little bit, but it is usually the bubbly little hole that is the giveaway. If you spot one you have to dig fast if you have any hope of being successful.
Two or three good sized clams is a generous serving along with a tossed salad and crusty bread.
Razor clams are easy to cook, but they are tricky and can easily become tough and rubbery if they are overcooked. Cleaning them is fussy work, something my grandmother taught me when I was very young, and I don’t mind doing it at all. If we have lots of people and end up with sixty or seventy clams then it’s another story. In the old days hotels along the beach had special outdoor areas with tables and running water where clams could be cleaned, but they are long gone. I dredge the cleaned clams in flour, then beaten egg, and finally in panko bread crumbs. They must be fried in about an inch of very hot oil in a cast iron skillet, no more than 45 to 60 second on a side.
My precious family at the place we love the most doing what we love to do.
Woah, this is amazing!!!
Kacey recently posted..Tomatoes Stuffed with Corn and Black Beans
WOW great pictures and the recipe sounds wonderful.
I went clamming only once and had a blast. It was on the New Jersey coast and, frankly, I don’t recall if we were told what kind of clam it was. Anyhoo, it looks like you had a lot of fun, topped off by some good eating. Saving your remoulade!
Sprigs of Rosemary recently posted..Discovering the Versatile Fennel | Roasted Fennel with Parmesan
Sounds like you know your clams Cathy! Enjoy that great looking sandwich:@)
Not only do you get a great meal but it looks like a real adventure. It is funny that we both wrote about clams today.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..New England Clam Chowder
I bet these are so good:) And I love that family photo Cathy.
Karen did:) I saw:)
Monique recently posted..The French Laundry’s Apple Kuchen~
Ours are much smaller here, not prolific either. We have soft shelled clams as well as the hard shell, and I love digging for them!
Looks like a fun day with your kids!
In the teens today, so no one is clamming. We have strict rules too, but the baby clams can’t be taken, and if you do, you get fined. If they fall rough tines of the rake, you can’t take it, too small.
Loved seeing your adventure and the sandwiches look great!
Kathleen recently posted..SNOW~WINTER Table Challenge~ Let’s Dish
Hi Kathleen – Are your clams round, hard-shelled critters that you don’t have to clean? Never heard of a soft shelled clam. How are they prepared? We call them butter clams here.
Cathy recently posted..Razor Clam Po’ Boys
Well that was all very educational Cathy, since I wouldn’t know a clam if it jumped up in my hand. I’ve always wondered what was living under those little bubbles and pimples in that smooth sand. And that sandwich looks wonderful. Wish I could taste it. Very nice family photo Cathy.
Lea Ann (Cooking on the Ranch) recently posted..Chipotle Shredded Beef Tacos
You wouldn’t believe how many clams are right under the sand in a good year. Sometimes we can dig our limit in a very short time in maybe a 10 foot circle. Other times we can’t find one if our life depends on it.
Cathy recently posted..Razor Clam Po’ Boys
I must say I live in Oregon and have never done this. The sandwich looks so good my mouth is salivating. How I would love one of these special sandwiches for sure. Thanks for sharing this delight.
Marilyn recently posted..Warmed to Your Toes
You must try it, Marilyn, or at least go to Seaside or Gearhart when there is a very low tide and watch others clam. It is so much fun.
Cathy recently posted..Razor Clam Po’ Boys
Oh, does this make my mouth water. I’m crazy, I mean crazy, about clam po’boys. Those clams are huge so they must be especially tasty. I’ve dug mussels but never clams. There’s nothing like getting your own haul.
Linda recently posted..Breakfast With Friends
That po’ boy looks like heaven on a plate. My favorite meal in the world are whole bellied fried clams. I have never eaten a razor-back, but if I ever have a chance I will certainly jump on it. Do you use them for chowder, too?
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Hi Marigene –
Hmmmm, I don’t know what a whole bellied clam is. Isn’t it interesting how species of shellfish live in specific areas? We have no lobster here at all. I don’t use razor clams for chowder unless we dig them ourselves and we happen to have lots of them. In a fish market they are $20 a pound for those already cleaned. Seafood is expensive here.
Cathy recently posted..Razor Clam Po’ Boys
Cathy, I just love this post. I have never seen Razor Clams, and wow, are they big! I love, love, LOVE scallops and fried clams (oysters….no). The look perfectly golden and crispy. Lawdy, I’d love to sink my teeth into a bite of this perfect sandwich. What a fun family thing to do.
I know you would love this sandwich, Debby. What kinds of clams are available in your area? The razors are all we have here in Oregon. I seldom order them in restaurants because non-native Oregonians don’t cook them properly. The chef often tries to fancy them up and ends up ruining them.
Well, um…duh… uh, I dunno what kind of clams we have! I’ve never been clamming! I’ll have to find out and get back at ya!
Foodiewife recently posted..How to make Pickled Jalapenos Rings
Boy, does THAT look good!!! I’ve had lobster rolls in Cape Cod & alligator tail in FL & oyster roasts in So. Caroline, but never a clam po’boy! I do linguine with clam sauce & lots of garlic though. LOL
Digging for them looks like a real fun family outting. Once while in Cape Cod, we stepped on a HUGE bed of mussels. We ate mussels at every meal…no limit on how many you can harvest. YUMMO!
Great family photo…good times together to remember.
Rettabug recently posted..Making Satin Pageant Sashes
Wow, you’ve got this down to a science…and the resulting Po’ Boys are amazing looking. I’m a clam lover from way back, but we usually steam them and dip them in butter. Love the photos!
Oh Cathy, I do believe that this is my favorite post of yours, ever! I had no idea that these clams were so big!!!! I have never been clamming, but oh how I would love to go. I come from a family that loves to fish. I have done that all my life. I have even been gigging for frogs in Oklahoma.
When Greg and I visited New Orleans, a foodie’s paradise, we fell in love with Po’ Boys!!! And many other tasty things too!!!
I so enjoyed hearing about the history of these, and your Oregon Beaches. What a great family activity to do. And now, my mouth is watering something fierce!!
xo Kris
I love razor clams! I come from a small harbour city, and seafood is something I really adore. Razor clams are great eating raw with Japanese green mustard too.
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Roasted Purple Potato Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
How divine! I’d be right out there with you.
Barbara recently posted..Super Bowl Food: Cheeseburger Filo Squares
Your Po’ Boy looks amazing!!! I would like one right now fro breakfast =o) Great picks! There’s nothing like the thrill of the hunt =o)
Erin @ Making Memories recently posted..Valentine’s Day Food and Fun
How fun Cathy, thanks for sharing such a special regional treat!
The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Pork Tenderloin Chili W/ Cannellini Beans, Black-Eyed Peas & Butternut Squash
I don’t live in the Pacific Northwest but I’m craving one of those sandwiches right now. How great that you and your family share this fun activity and that you are passing on the tradition and recipe.
ciaochowlinda recently posted..Almost "No-Stir" Polenta and Mushroom Ragù
I am so envious of your wonderful PNW seafood, Cathy! We don’t eat many clams here but I do love them. I can only imagine how special these sandwiches would taste. I absolutely love that shot of your family clamming!
Susan recently posted..Creamy Farro with Crispy Shiitakes
so fun! i’d love to do this with my family. the po boys look absolutely delicious!
teresa recently posted..Tortellini Chicken Soup
I live in the interior so have never been clam digging, but I can see where the thrill would be.
bellini recently posted..Dutch Baby with Chocolate and Hazelnuts
So jealous! Wish I could have gone clamming & I really wish I could have had that sandwich! YUMMY!
Sandy did tell you that you won’t be at the market anymore. I would love to get together for coffee soon when my back gets back to normal.
Pam recently posted..Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Never had them, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to. They look wonderful.
Those are some big clams and that sammy looks magnicient. I like that the state is looking after the environment. I would definitely have some of your remoulade on mine.
Larry recently posted..Chicken Tortila Soup
I’d love to sink my teeth into one of those sandwiches… beautiful coastline.
Karen recently posted..Peas and Carrots Soup
I had no idea about this at all, how very cool! It must be super rewarding to take the food from the beach to the table.
Rhonda recently posted..Egg Bake Obsession
I live in Washington state, adore clams and Geoducks, oh my, we are going up to seattle to see our only child she lives in NYC, we will go to a place on the harbor the police and rescue like to frequent I will be getting some razor clams, might have them in a poor boy, po boy, my hubbs adores them, our daughter loves them just like you like them, I grew up on the washington coast for vacations and know how to skin, filet and fix any fish from the sea..clams my grandmother loved and oysters, we had them every which way you could imagine, my grand parents long gone to heaven, it was just another day on the washington coast for a week, we lived inland, but went every summer and ate black berries too. My grandparents enjoyed the weather it was actually hot then and the fish and goods from the sea…I get all teary eyed reading about others who know what to do with razor clams, etc..I will be enjoying our time spent with our child and we always go for the fish from the sea in Seattle, never better! Happy New Year to YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting! That’s quite an event, I’ve never heard of razor clams! And the sandwich looks fantastic! They’re into ice fishing here, definitely no clams.
My goodness…this is all so interesting. I have never heard of razor clams. They look so delicious fried! Wish I can get to taste it one day. I would so love the fun in joining everyone to catch them 😀
MaryMoh recently posted..Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Rocky Road Crunch
Cathy I love razor clams, although I never had a sandwich filled with them, I remember ordering them from Mo’s and just eating them fried! Yumm, don’t get me started. I miss the Oregon Coast, the cliffs, the lighthouses and those razor clams!!
Oh my, Cathy, now how can you even imagine that these babies wouldn’t send us into ecstasy if we don’t live in your beautiful corner of the world? But then I live in a similar area and am nuts for anything like a razor clam (I see them here smaller than yours, though). The Po Boys look amazing!
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