There's nothing quite like that first bite of a perfectly crispy fried razor clam - the golden, irresistibly crisp on the outside, and tender-sweet on the inside. If you think you’ve had great fried clams before, get ready for a serious upgrade.
It's clamming time here on the Pacific Coast, and there's nothing like starting off the season with a brand new razor clam recipe to try.
These crispy fried razor clams are everything you love about classic seafood comfort food, but lighter, crunchier, and absolutely irresistible. They're lighter on the stomach with gluten-free rice flour instead of panko and all-purpose since they turn out much crispier. But, hey, there's beer in the batter, because - balance.
Table of Contents
About Pacific Razor Clams
Pacific Razor clams are a hot commodity here on the coast. They are a fun hunt and quite the adventure for the entire family. I have several articles that go into what you need for razor clamming, and how to dig for clams, also more fun facts about our mollusk friends here.
For a quick razor clam cleaning guide, check out this article, if you prefer to read, or this full video on how to clean clams.
I had the honor of being featured in the spring 2024 WA Coast magazine around the time I created this recipe, it was a great way to spread the news on my new and fresh razor clam recipes that are storming the coast.
My Secret To Perfecting Crispy Fried Clams
To make the best fried clams that are extra crispy on the outside and remain perfectly juicy on the inside, you will need to follow my tried-and-true tips.
- The clams must stay as cold as possible. So, I keep them in the fridge for the entire time setting my my station and preparing the batter
- Temperature is everything! Making sure the oil temperature is just right. To do this, try frying to first clam as a tester. Adjust the temp up or down depending on how it turns out.
- Cook one or two at a time. Overcrowding the frying pan can lead to unevenly cooked clams from the heat temperature dipping too low. So I like I to take my time and cook just 2 clams at a time.
- Use the skewer method! It's much easier to manage the clams on a skewer, let alone not to overcook them!
Crispy Fried Razor Clam Recipe
Equipment
- 1 deep skillet you can also use a large pot that isn't too tall.
Ingredients
For The Clams
- 6 whole razor clams digger and neck
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1-2 cups flavorless oil for frying I used avocado oil for no inflammation
- wooden skewers
- ½ cup rice flour
For The Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of rice flour
- 1 cup of beer anything but dark beer
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 sprinkle salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare The Clams
- Pat the clams dry and cut the necks and diggers in half down the center. If the clams were large in size, make another cut between the neck and the zipper.
- Skewer 3 or 4 clam pieces per stick, placing them in a zippered (back and forth, like a swirl) pattern.
- Once all the clams are skewered, sprinkle them with a good helping of salt and place them in the fridge to keep cool.
- In a large, deep skillet or large pot, heat about 3 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F.
- Pour the 1⁄2 cup of rice flour in a large plate and set aside.
Battering The Clams
- Mix the rice flour, beer, baking powder, salt and pepper until combined in a loaf pan, 8x8 square baking dish, or similar-shaped dish for the skewers to fit well.
- Working in batches, roll each skewer in the rice flour, then immediately dredge in the batter until the clams are completely covered.
Frying The Clams
- Fry one or two sticks at a time for roughly 1 to 2 minutes or until they’re golden brown. They must be flipped every 20-30 seconds to ensure all sides are cooking evenly.
- Allow to cool on a paper towel-lined plate or a cookie rack. Enjoy warm with homemade tartar sauce.
Notes
- you can use just the diggers if you prefer them. Use 12 clams at that point and reserve just the diggers for this recipe. Use the clam necks in this clam chowder or jalapeno poppers!
- keep the clams cold to avoid overcooking.
- comment below and let me know how you liked it!
Nutrition
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These fried clams are cooked on a skewer for a couple of reasons, after years of testing out multiple ways to make the absolutely crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. For one, they're much easier to manage on a skewer.
Secondly, they are nearly impossible to overcook! No one, and I mean, no one likes an overcooked clam. After years of frying, it finally dawned on me that if you place multiple clams together on a skewer, they cook like butter!
Leave a Reply