Garlic Habanero Beer-Steamed Clams
on Aug 26, 2024, Updated Oct 23, 2024
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Learn how to steam clams with this easy beer steamed clams recipe. This sweet, spicy, and garlicky broth pairs perfectly with crusty bread. Serve as an appetizer, or as a main for dinner. Try our Pasta with White Wine and Mussels and Classic Shrimp Cocktail for more delicious shellfish recipes.
Ingredients For this Beer Steamed Clams Recipe
Manilla clams, or littleneck clams: Choose Manila or littleneck clams for their tender texture, quick cooking time, and sweet, briny flavor that pairs perfectly with the garlic and habanero. These clams are easy to prep and open easily when steamed.
Seasoning: Season simply with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Unsalted butter: Dividing the butter between cooking and finishing the broth ensures a rich, velvety texture. The final swirl of butter in the broth ties all the flavors together.
Lemon peel: The lemon peel adds a subtle citrus aroma during cooking, while the freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end brightens the dish. The acidity balances the richness of the butter and enhancing the clams’ natural sweetness.
Aromatics: Thinly sliced garlic cloves and shallots provide a fragrant base that infuses the broth with savory flavor.
Habanero: De-seeded and minced pepper adds some heat without being too spicy.
Non-Alcoholic beer: NA beer offers a subtle maltiness that pairs well with the clams, the habanero, and enhances the overall depth of the broth.
Finely chopped chives: Add a sprinkle to the clams to finish off the dish.
Toasted baguette: Who doesn’t love a crusty baguette to soak up the garlicky, buttery sauce?
How to Steam Clams
How to Clean Clams: Rinse your clams under cold water and scrub the shells to remove any dirt. Discard any clams that are cracked, or after tapping gently shut, stay open. Transfer your clams to a large bowl of cold water with a few big pinches of kosher salt, and let sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to an hour. This allows all the dirt, and sand to get out of the interior and exterior of the clams. Give it one final rinse.
Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat to medium-high heat. Add your lemon peel, garlic, shallot, and habanero to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.Sauté until the garlic and shallots are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Beer Steamed Clams: Pour the beer into the skillet, bringing this mixture to a simmer for another minute.
Add the clams into the skillet, and give everything one big toss. Cover with your lid, and allow the clams to steam for 6 to 7 minutes. Open the lid, and if your clams are not mostly all open, close them and allow them to steam for another minute or two. Discard any clams that are not opened. Turn off the heat.
Serve: Transfer your clams (without the broth) to a serving bowl. With the skillet still on the stovetop and the heat off, whisk in your remaining tablespoon of butter, as well as lemon juice. Season to taste with salt.
Ladle over this broth over your clams, finishing with a sprinkle of fresh chives, and another big squeeze of lemon. Serve the steamed clams with toasted baguette to soak up all the broth.
Tips for Cooking Clams
- When you Purchase: Place your clams in a large bowl, and cover the bowl with a damp paper towel. Transfer to the fridge until ready to use, within that day, or two days is ideal so the clams are still fresh.
- Cleaning: Make sure you properly clean and scrub your clams, and soak them in salt water. This really allows any dirt to be removed.
- Cooking: Keep a tight lid on your clams, so they have the time to steam properly.
- Don’t overcook your clams, or else they will become super rubbery! Once they are opened, (which happens quite quickly!) they are ready.
What to Serve with Beer Steamed Clams
Appetizers: If you’re serving these clams as an appetizer for any sort of outdoor BBQ, appetizers like Grilled Corn with Tajin Lime Butter, or Sicilian Sashimi will pair nicely.
Salads: Try this refreshing Melon Prosciutto Salad with Sungold Tomato Vinaigrette served alongside these clams.
Pasta: You can definitely toss these clams with pasta in the beer broth, but you can also serve alongside Spicy Sausage Cherry Tomato Pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on their size, fresh clams typically take about 6 to 7 minutes to steam until they open. If any clams haven’t opened after this time, you can give them another minute or two, but discard any that remain closed.
Soaking clams in cold salted water for at least 30 minutes helps them purge any sand or grit inside their shells. This step ensures your clams are clean and ready for cooking, giving you a better final dish.
While you can boil clams, it’s best to steam them. The steaming process cooks them more gently so they remain tender without becoming tough or rubbery. Steaming clams also promotes even cooking.
Manila and littleneck clams are considered the best for steaming due to their small size, tender texture, and sweet, briny flavor. Steamer clams are another good alternative. Larger clams tend to be tougher once cooked whereas smaller clams also open easily when steamed.
More Seafood Recipes
Appetizers
Salmon Crudo with Lime Basil Oil
Fish & Seafood
Saffron Salmon with Shirazi Salad
Fish & Seafood
Easy Miso Glazed Salmon
Fish & Seafood
Sicilian Sashimi
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Garlic Habanero Beer-Steamed Clams
Ingredients
- 2 pounds manilla clams, or littleneck clams
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 slices lemon peel, plus freshly squeezed lemon juice, for serving
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 small habanero, de-seeded and minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup NA beer
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, for serving
- Toasted baguette, for serving
Instructions
- Rinse your clams under cold water and scrub the shells to remove any dirt. Discard any clams that are cracked, or after tapping gently shut, stay open. Transfer your clams to a large bowl of cold water with a few big pinches of kosher salt, and let sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to an hour. This allows all the dirt, and sand to get out of the interior and exterior of the clams. Give it one final rinse.
- In a large pot with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat to medium-high heat. Add your lemon peel, garlic, shallot, and habanero to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté until the garlic and shallots are softened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour the beer into the skillet, bringing this mixture to a simmer for another minute.
- Add the clams into the skillet, and give everything one big toss. Cover with your lid, and
- allow the clams to steam for 6 to 7 minutes. Open the lid and if your clams are not mostly all open, close them and allow them to steam for another minute or two. Discard any clams that are not opened. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer your clams (without the broth) to a serving bowl. With the skillet still on the stovetop and the heat off, whisk in your remaining tablespoon of butter, as well as lemon juice. Season to taste with salt.
- Ladle over this broth over your clams, finishing with a sprinkle of fresh chives, and another big squeeze of lemon. Serve with toasted baguette to soak up all the broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
