Razor Clams

Our dear friend Jake recently went razor clamming on the Oregon coast and surprised us with a bag full of clams, and I was so excited to fry them up! This easy razor clam recipe was fun to make, and my entire family, including my two kids, LOVED them. I served these delicious panko-crusted razor clams with homemade tartar sauce and my sister’s cocktail sauce, and they paired nicely with garlic rice and green beans with feta and dill. Thank you for sharing your razor clams, Jake–we loved them!

Razor Clams

Ingredients:

• 10 razor clams, removed from the shell and rinsed
• ½ cup of flour
• 2 eggs, well-beaten
• 2 cups panko crumbs
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil, to taste, divided, more if needed
• 2 tbsp butter, to taste, divided, more if needed

Tartar Sauce with Lemon and Dill:

• ½ cup of mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp fresh dill, well-chopped, to taste
• Juice of ½ a lemon, more if desired
• 1 tbsp dill pickle, minced, plus some juice, if desired
• 1 tbsp yellow onion, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Dana’s Cocktail Sauce:

• ½ cup ketchup
• 1-2 tsp wasabi, to taste

How to Make Razor Clams:

Prepare the dredging station by placing the flour in a bowl. Season it with garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat until well combined. Season it with garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Place the panko crumbs in a bowl. Season it with garlic powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Dredge the razor clams one at a time by evenly coating them in the flour, then egg, and finally the panko crumbs.

Set on a plate in a single layer; repeat until all clams are dredged. Use parchment paper if you have more than one layer.

Place the plate of clams in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Side Note: Don’t skip this step, as it helps ensure the panko stays adhered to the clams.

Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste and re-season if necessary. Place in the refrigerator to let the flavors mingle.

Make the cocktail sauce by adding wasabi to the ketchup, to taste, until it’s as spicy as you desire. Place in the refrigerator to let flavors mingle.

Cook the clams by heating half the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the skillet is HOT, add the clams, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown, don’t overcook or they will be tough & chewy.

Wipe out the large skillet between batches, add more oil and butter to the skillet, and once it’s hot, cook the remaining clams.

Place the clams on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Sprinkle them with sea salt to taste, then serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce. Enjoy.

Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce. Enjoy.