Clams Casino
Serves8
When I first came up with this recipe, I tried it out on several friends (it pays to befriend a recipe developer!). In addition to them unanimously loving the dish, a consistent comment I heard was, “This is clams casino?” Turns out, they would have been ordering clams casino for years now if they had known what it really meant: fresh clams topped with breadcrumbs and bacon, and broiled until crispy.
What they still don’t know is how fast and easy it is to make. This is the reason I love making this broiled clam dish for an appetizer — it feels special, but is so very simple.
Thawing Clams
Most broiled clam recipes I’ve seen call for barely cooking the clams to make shucking easier, but I use an old family trick of starting with frozen clams and allowing them to pop open on their own after a 30-minute sit on the counter. I’ve never had any food safety issues with this method, but if you’re concerned or are serving these clams to people at greater risk for food-borne illnesses, follow the FDA guidelines: Thaw the clams on a loosely covered sheet pan overnight in the fridge. The next day, your clams will have popped open and you can continue preparing the recipe as written.
What Clam Type to Use
I like to use larger top neck clams for this dish, which I slice in half. Not only does this make the clams less chewy, but I also get double the portions. This is another place where using frozen clams makes life easier: After the clams pop open, the still-frozen meat inside is much easier to slice cleanly.
Tester’s Notes
The combination of bacon and clams is knock-your-socks-off delicious. At first bite, you get hit with the crispy, smoky pork, but after a second or two, the clam’s ocean-flavored glory comes through. The breadcrumbs soak up the clam juices and bacon grease, so make sure to spoon up any of those precious crumbles that may have spilled out of the shell.
More Clam Recipes to Try
Clams Casino
Serves 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 12
frozen top neck clams (about 3 pounds), scrubbed
- 12 ounces
sliced bacon
- 1/3 cup
finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1/2 small pepper)
- 1/2 cup
finely chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 small onion)
- 1 clove
garlic, minced
- 1 cup
fine breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons
finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
Arrange an oven rack to the second-highest position and turn on the broiler. Meanwhile, place the frozen clams on a rimmed baking sheet on the counter until they start to open, about 30 minutes (see Recipe Note regarding food safety). Use your hands to fully open and separate the shell halves. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the still-frozen clam meat from the shell, and then cut the meat in half. Place one half on each half shell. Drain the liquid off the baking sheet or transfer the clams to a clean baking sheet. Let the clams continue thawing on the counter while you prepare the topping, or you can let them finish thawing overnight in the fridge (loosely covered).
Working in batches, place the bacon in a large skillet over low heat and cook until just starting to brown but before it becomes crispy. (Do not cook the bacon until crispy. You want to get it partially cooked and render out some of the fat, but the rest of the crisping up will take place during the broil.) Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease from the skillet; discard the remaining bacon fat or save for another use.
Add the onion, pepper, and garlic to the skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent and the peppers are very soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the bread crumbs, parsley, and crumbled bacon, and stir to combine. Divide the bread crumb mixture among the clams, pressing it into a compact mound on top of each.
Broil the clams until the bread crumbs are browned, the bacon is crispy, and clams are just cooked, 3 to 5 minutes. Use tongs to transfer to a serving platter, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Food safety note: I've never had any food safety issues with thawing clams on the counter and cooking them right away, but if you're concerned or are serving these clams to people at greater risk for food-borne illnesses, follow the FDA guidelines: Thaw the clams on a loosely-covered sheet pan overnight in the fridge. The next day, your clams will have popped open and you can continue preparing the recipe as written.
Make-ahead clams casino: The clams can be thawed and topped ahead of time, refrigerated, and broiled when guests arrive.
Using smaller clams: You can use cherry stone or little neck clams instead of top necks, just use twice as many, skip cutting the clam in half, and discard half the shells. Learn more about clam sizing here.
Using oysters: Don't like clams? This recipe is delicious with oysters, too.