Using a knife to separate the clam meat from the clam’s shell is method I prefer to use when cleaning razor clams. The curson should be positioned over the photo on the top frame. Click and roll the cursor over the photos in the top and bottom frames to display the photos in the narrative.

    Insert the tip of a sharp knife between the mantel and the shell on the hinge side of the clam as shown in photo number 1 on the top frame.  Gently cut the mantel from both sides of the clam shell cutting through the abductor muscles.  At no time should you apply pressure with the knife as shown in photo number 2 on the top frame.  Open the clam and gently pull the clam meat away from the shell as shown in photo number 3 on the top frame.  After separating the clam from the clam’s shell cut the digger foot from the neck retaining the mantle with the neck as shown in photo number 4 on the top frame.  Some diggers use scissors to trim the gill and palps from the digger foot and the neck leaving the membrane at the end of the mantle intact unlike the mantle shown in photo number 6 in the bottom frame to facilitate breading the clam for frying.

Insert the bottom blade of the scissors into the base of the siphon tube attached to the mantle as shown in photo 5 on the top frame, and cut through the inner wall of the siphon tube into and through the outer wall of the other siphon tube.  Wash away any remaining dark skin from the mantle.  The neck is ready to fry as shown in photo 6 on the bottom frame.

     Use scissors to snip off the exposed portion of the gills and stomach located on side at the top of the digger foot and discard them as shown in photo 7 bottom frame.  Gently squeeze the digger foot exposing the stomach and the crystalline style.  Remove and discard the crystalline style.  Pinch the stomach between you thumb and the tip of the scissors and pull it away from the digger foot.  Use a sharp knife to split the top end of the digger foot lengthwise for ½ of an inch as shown in photo number 8 in the bottom frame, and remove any of the remaining dark colored flesh from the stomach and pull free the small intestine from the digger foot as shown in photo number 9 in the bottom frame.  Thoroughly wash the clams and they are ready for cooking or freezing.  Cover the clams with water in gallon plastic bags before freezing.  Using a pair of scissors to cut the darkened tip off of the end of the clam’s siphon tube and discarding it was not shown in the photo essay, Uaually I do not cut the darkened tip from razor clams unless the clams are tuff. Also, as a matter of personal taster, I do not split the digger foot before frying; because frying the digger foot whole enhances the flavor of the clam.     

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