Garlic Butter Beef Clams Recipe
Garlic Butter Beef Clams is a delicious and savory seafood dish featuring tender manila clams cooked in a fragrant garlic butter sauce with a hint of cayenne pepper and fresh lemon juice. This quick and easy skillet recipe delivers bold flavors perfect for a flavorful appetizer or main dish, best served with crusty bread to soak up the luscious sauce.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Seafood
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Clams
- 1 1/2 lbs manila clams, thoroughly rinsed, scrubbed clean, and any beards removed
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white grape juice
- 3 dashes cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Prepare the clams: Thoroughly rinse and scrub the manila clams under cold running water, removing any grit, sand, or beards. Discard any clams that are open and do not close when tapped to ensure freshness and safety.
- Sauté garlic in butter: In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter until it gently sizzles but does not brown. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Deglaze and season: Pour in the white grape juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom. Stir for about 30 seconds, then add the cayenne pepper and stir until evenly distributed for a subtle spicy kick.
- Add and steam clams: Add the prepared manila clams to the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high, making sure the clams are not overcrowded. Cover the skillet tightly and steam for 5-7 minutes, or until most of the shells have opened, indicating that the clams are cooked.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. Gently toss to coat the clams evenly in the aromatic garlic butter sauce.
- Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with more cayenne pepper or lemon juice as desired. Serve the garlic butter beef clams immediately, spooning the sauce over the clams. Accompany with crusty bread for dipping to enjoy every bit of the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Discard any clams that remain open after tapping, as they are not safe to eat.
- Use fresh clams for the best flavor and texture.
- The white grape juice adds subtle sweetness; it can be substituted with dry white wine if preferred.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper quantity based on your spice tolerance.
- Serve immediately to enjoy clams at their freshest and to prevent them from toughening.
- Crusty bread is highly recommended to soak up the delicious garlic butter sauce.
Keywords: garlic butter clams, manila clams recipe, seafood skillet, garlic clam recipe, quick seafood dish