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What it is
Razor clams are the long, straight-shelled bivalves that look like an old cut-throat razor, with a sweet, meaty body inside. They are sold live in the shell and cook in seconds. We sell them by weight, and you purge them of sand before cooking.
Why choose it
Razor clams are dramatic on the plate, sweet and quick, and they cook in barely a minute. A quick sear or steam with garlic butter gives you a generous piece of shellfish meat with a clean, sweet flavour and a little more chew than a scallop.
How it tastes
Sweet, briny and meaty, with a firm, tender bite that sits between a clam and a squid. The meat is fuller and chewier than a small clam, and the flavour is clean and of the sea. Cooked fast they stay tender, and long cooking toughens them.
How to cook it
Purge them in cold salted water first to clear the sand. Then cook them fast. Sear them in a hot dry pan or under a grill for 1 to 2 minutes until the shell opens and the meat firms, or steam them briefly with garlic, white wine and parsley. Slice the meat and trim off the dark digestive sac before serving. Razor clams gape naturally, so check they are alive before cooking, as the flesh should twitch or the siphon retract when touched, and discard any that do not react or that smell off. After cooking discard any that have stayed shut.
What goes with it
Garlic butter, parsley and lemon. Chilli, ginger and soy for a quick Asian dressing. Chorizo and paprika. Bread for the juices.
How long it takes
Purging takes an hour or two ahead. Cooking is 1 to 2 minutes, no more, as they toughen fast. Have your pan hot and everything ready before they go in.
Nutrition
Razor clams are high in protein and very low in fat, and they carry iron, B12, zinc and selenium. They are lean and low in calories before any butter.
Sustainability
Ask at the counter for the day's sourcing. Razor clams are a low-impact British shellfish, and we can advise on the day and on size.
Where to buy it
At the counter at 18 Barnes High Street, sold live and priced by weight. Collect the same day in Barnes, or order by 1pm for next-day delivery across London and the UK, with free UK delivery over £60 and free local delivery for neighbours.
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Common questions
How do I clean razor clams of sand?
Sit them in cold salted water, about the saltiness of seawater, for an hour or two so they push out the grit. Lift them out rather than tipping them so the sand stays behind, then rinse. A quick sear also loosens any remaining sand for a final wipe.
How do I cook razor clams?
Cook them fast. Sear them in a hot dry pan or under a grill for 1 to 2 minutes until the shell opens and the meat firms, or steam them briefly with garlic and white wine. Slice the meat, trim the dark sac and serve straight away. Longer cooking makes them tough.
How do I know razor clams are alive and safe?
Razor clams gape open naturally, so tap or touch the flesh and look for the meat to twitch or the siphon to retract. Discard any that do not react, that smell off or that stay shut after cooking. Fresh razor clams smell clean and of the sea.
What part of the razor clam do I eat?
Most of it. After cooking, slice the meat away from the shell and trim off the dark digestive sac and the tough tip. The white body and the foot are sweet and tender and are the parts you keep.
Can I freeze razor clams?
It is better to cook them fresh, but you can freeze cooked razor clam meat out of the shell for up to two months. Freeze it as fresh as you can and defrost in the fridge. Do not refreeze.
How do I order razor clams for delivery?
Order by 1pm and we deliver next day across London and the UK, with free UK delivery on orders over £60 and free local delivery for neighbours. You can also collect the same day in Barnes. We are open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm, and hold a five-star food hygiene rating.
Common questions
How do I clean razor clams of sand?
Sit them in cold salted water, about the saltiness of seawater, for an hour or two so they push out the grit. Lift them out rather than tipping them so the sand stays behind, then rinse. A quick sear also loosens any remaining sand for a final wipe.
How do I cook razor clams?
Cook them fast. Sear them in a hot dry pan or under a grill for 1 to 2 minutes until the shell opens and the meat firms, or steam them briefly with garlic and white wine. Slice the meat, trim the dark sac and serve straight away. Longer cooking makes them tough.
How do I know razor clams are alive and safe?
Razor clams gape open naturally, so tap or touch the flesh and look for the meat to twitch or the siphon to retract. Discard any that do not react, that smell off or that stay shut after cooking. Fresh razor clams smell clean and of the sea.
What part of the razor clam do I eat?
Most of it. After cooking, slice the meat away from the shell and trim off the dark digestive sac and the tough tip. The white body and the foot are sweet and tender and are the parts you keep.
Can I freeze razor clams?
It is better to cook them fresh, but you can freeze cooked razor clam meat out of the shell for up to two months. Freeze it as fresh as you can and defrost in the fridge. Do not refreeze.
How do I order razor clams for delivery?
Order by 1pm and we deliver next day across London and the UK, with free UK delivery on orders over £60 and free local delivery for neighbours. You can also collect the same day in Barnes. We are open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm, and hold a five-star food hygiene rating.
