How to Throw a New England-Style Clambake in Your Backyard Fire Pit
A New England-Style Clambake is a traditional way of steaming seafood in a fire pit dug in the sand using seaweed, hot rocks, and hot coals, typically done on the beach (think: beach-style “backyard bbq” party).
Our Clambake took place on Island Creek Oyster Farm’s private beach at low tide in the early evening.
A clambake starts out by bottling sea water, digging a hole, starting a fire and gathering large rocks and rockweed (a type of seaweed that looks like a tangle of beaded necklaces and only grows in the North Atlantic ocean). While the wood burned down to a bed of hot coals and the sun started to sink in the horizon, we took in the sights of the bay: razor clams spitting water from their hide-y holes in the wet sand, the tide slowly creeping back in, little sea beans growing along the shore. Once the coals were ready, we laid rocks down in the pit to heat. On top of the hot rocks we layered a bed of rockweed and nestled the shellfish (clams, mussels, whole lobsters, baby potatoes, halved corn cobs) on top before covering it with a final layer of seaweed. We covered the pit with ocean-soaked burlap and held it down with more large rocks and waited…
Just as the sun was setting we unveiled the clambake - bright red lobster, their tails curled around perfectly cooked potatoes, the plump flesh of the clams and mussels that steamed open and the sweet aroma of the corn.
To experience your own clambake, you’ll need:
a fire pit
3-5 Large Rocks
firewood
rockweed (a seaweed that only grows in the North Atlantic)
a piece of burlap (to cover the clambake to allow it to steam)
half a pound each of mussels and clams per person
half a chick lobster per person (chick is the term for a 1# lobster)
shucked corn, cut into thirds
baby red potatoes
cocktail wieners
old bay seasoning
cheesecloth (for ease of removing the clambake)
be prepared with newspaper, bread and butter, lemon, any dipping sauces you dream of (we’re looking at you, mayonnaise), salt and a healthy amount of napkins or towels.
We recommend starting the fire 90 minutes before sunset - because who doesn’t love cracking into a lobster as dusk approaches? Build a large fire and let it burn down until you have a bed of hot coals. Meanwhile, make a cocktail, crack open a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine (it’s a party, after all). While the fire is burning soak both the seaweed, the burlap sack, and cheesecloth in water to add moisture.
Once the wood has burned down to hot coals, nestle the rocks tightly together on top of the coals to heat (this might take 15+ minutes. Test the rocks by splashing a drop of water on the rocks and see if it sizzles). If there’s any larger logs still burning, push those away. Once the rocks are hot spread three quarters of the seaweed over the rocks. If using cheesecloth spread it out on top of the seaweed. Add your clams, potatoes, corn, weenies, mussels and lobster on top of the seaweed. Dust everything with a little old bay seasoning and spread the rest of the seaweed over top of the clambake and cover with wet burlap.
Carefully pour a little water over the seaweed to keep it moist. Cover the pit with the wet burlap sack and use rocks or bricks to keep the clambake sealed. Every ten minutes or so carefully pour a little water over the top of the sack to keep the steam going (this will also help stubborn mussels and clams to open). Let the clambake steam for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the clams and mussels have opened - be patient and don’t check too soon as you don’t want the heat to escape. Set the table by spreading out newspaper and laying out the dipping sauces. Remove the burlap sack and pull off the top layer of seaweed.
Pull out the clambake by gathering the cheesecloth and spread out onto the newspaper. Give it a healthy squeeze of lemon and prepare to get a little messy. Et voila!
