Clambake facts for kids
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| Place of origin | United States |
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| Region or state | New England |
| Main ingredients | Shellfish and vegetables |
A clambake is a super fun and traditional way to cook lots of yummy seafood! It's especially popular in a place called New England in the United States. Imagine cooking delicious lobsters, mussels, crabs, and different kinds of clams right on the beach.
This special meal is usually cooked by steaming everything over layers of seaweed. Besides seafood, you can also add vegetables like onions, carrots, and corn on the cob. Clambakes are often held for parties and celebrations along the coast.
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How to Make a Traditional Clambake
Making a traditional clambake is a bit like a treasure hunt! First, you need to gather seaweed from the shoreline. A type called rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) is often used. This seaweed is super important because it helps steam the food. You'll need a big container to keep the seaweed fresh with some sea water.
Next, you'll need several round, medium-sized stones. Sometimes, people even use old cannonballs! These stones get super hot in the fire. They help keep the heat going during the cooking process.
Finally, you need a cover to trap all the heat and steam. This helps cook the food perfectly. Big canvas tarps or potato sacks soaked in sea water work well for this. Soaking them stops them from burning.
Preparing the Fire Pit
Once you have your stones and seaweed, it's time to prepare the fire pit. Some people just start a fire right in the pit. Others line the pit's edges with flat stones. These stones can support a metal grill where the cooking stones will sit.
The stones for cooking are placed in the middle of the pit. Then, a wood fire is started around them. The fire needs to burn until the stones are glowing hot. It's important that the fire burns out soon after the stones are hot enough. This makes sure the heat is just right for cooking.
Layering the Food
After the fire burns out, the ashes are swept away from the hot stones. Some ashes are raked between the stones to create an insulating "bed." Then, a layer of wet seaweed is placed right over the hot stones.
On top of the seaweed, you add the delicious seafood! This usually includes steamers, mussels, quahogs, and lobsters. Side dishes like corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, and onions are also added. You keep adding alternating layers of seaweed and food.
Steaming the Meal
Once all the food and seaweed are piled up, the entire mound is covered. This is done with the water-soaked canvas or sacks. This cover seals in the heat and steam. It also stops the canvas from burning. The food then steams for several hours. This slow cooking makes everything tender and delicious!
Clambakes Away From the Beach
Building fires on beaches is not allowed in many places. So, people often make clambakes in large pots at home or in their backyards. This is sometimes called a New England clam boil. Some special catering companies even offer clambakes on the beach for parties.
Clambakes are also popular in Greater Cleveland, even though it's far from the ocean. There, a typical clambake often includes a dozen clams with half a chicken, sweet potatoes, and corn. Seaweed is not used in these clambakes. The clams, chicken, and sweet potatoes are all steamed together in a big pot. This tradition was started there by John D. Rockefeller.
