This sake steamed clams recipe makes a fun and delicious appetizer with a handful of ingredients and minimal effort.
On Vu’s trip to Seattle early this year, he brought back 20 pounds of clams from his family’s farm on Shelton Island, Washington. We couldn’t eat them fast enough so we made sake steamed clams and brought them to a potluck. They were gone in minutes. Sake steamed clams are a staple at Japanese izakaya. It’s a fun and delicious dish with a short list of ingredients and minimal effort to make. The clam's natural sweetness, flavored with sake and ginger makes a wonderful broth. Pair it with a cold beer or sake for the perfect appetizer!
Ingredient Notes
- Sake: for this recipe use cooking sake. Cooking sake is used to tenderize meat, and also to remove unwanted smells and flavors. It contains salt which adds flavor to the final dish.
- Ginger: for this recipe I used fresh ginger. Fresh ginger is less fibrous, more tender, and lends a peppery and spicy kick to the final recipe. Peeling the skin is a personal preference. I use organic ginger so I leave the skin on.
- Clams: I usually buy manila clams or littleneck clams. It’s important to use fresh live clams for the best taste. Pick clams with shells tightly closed. If the shells are open, give them a quick tap. If they don’t close, discard them.
How to Prep Clams
Just before cooking, soak the clams in a large pot of cold water for 60 minutes to get rid of all the sand and grit. Drain well and rinse one more time. If they are still dirty, soak them for another 15 minutes then drain.
How to Cook Clams
- Whisk sake, salt, and sugar together.
- In a large saucepan, add oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add sake mixture and bring to a boil.
- Add clams and place the lid on the saucepan. Let them cook for 8-10 minutes until they open. Discard any unopened clams.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
Storage
The sake steamed clams are best eaten on the day they are cooked. Store any leftovers in a lidded container for up to 24 hours. Rewarm them in the microwave before serving.
For more shellfish recipe inspiration:
- Vietnamese lemongrass beer steamed clams
- Thai green curry mussels in coconut broth
- Vietnamese grilled razor clams with scallion oil
- Vietnamese tamarind razor clams
Sake Steamed Clams
Ingredients
- 2 pounds manila clams
- 1 cup cooking sake
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces and sliced into long thin strips
- ½ ounce fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
Instructions
- Just before cooking, soak the clams in a large pot of cold water for 60 minutes to get rid of all the sand and grit. Drain well and rinse one more time. If they are still dirty, soak them for another 15 minutes then drain.
- In a small bowl, whisk sake, salt, and sugar together. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add sake mixture and bring to a boil.
- Add clams and place the lid on saucepan. Let them cook for 8-10 minutes until the clams open. Discard any unopened clams.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.
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