Clam, geoduck

Scientific name:  Panopea abrupta
Market name:  Geoduck clam
Common names:  Pacific geoduck, elephant trunk clam, king clam

The Geoduck Clam Story

The geoduck (pronounced “gooey duck”) is the largest burrowing clam in the world and one of the longest-lived animals, sometimes living more than 100 years. Its name reportedly comes from the Nisqually Indian term “gwe-duk,” which means “dig deep.” The Chinese call it “elephant trunk clam,” descriptive of the enormous siphon extending from the large, oval shell. The meaty siphon is the edible part of the bivalve, which can grow to a shell width of 7 inches and weighs an average of 2 1/4 pounds. The clam is prized in Hong Kong, China and Japan, where it is considered a rare taste treat, eaten cooked in a Chinese hot pot or raw, sashimi style. Geoducks are found in harvestable quantities only in Washington’s Puget Sound and inland waters of British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Washington accounts for about half the world supply. In the wild, geoducks are harvested individually by divers who use water jets to loosen the sand around the clams. A significant amount also is farmed in tidal flats around Puget Sound, where the clams start life in net-covered PVC tubes that are removed after the first year.

Product Profile

The geoduck siphon is covered with a tough skin ranging in color from light beige to brown. The flesh of a cleaned siphon is smooth and cream colored.

The geoduck siphon meat has a sweet, fresh sea flavor and crunchy texture.

You Should Know...

While many customers prefer light-beige siphons, the taste and texture of the meat beneath the skin are the same, no matter what color the siphon’s exterior.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 100g/3.5 oz. (raw)
Amount per serving
Calories 85
Fat Calories 18
Total Fat 2.0 g
Saturated Fat N/A
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium N/A
Protein 15.5 g
Omega-3 N/A

Cooking Tips

To prepare for use, cut the siphon from the body meat and split it in half lengthwise. Cut each piece into paper-thin slices. Serve raw as sashimi or cook quickly in a stir fry or hot pot. Cooking toughens the meat rapidly. A quick blanching in boiling water or sauce gives best results. Dried body meat is sometimes used as an ingredient in Chinese soups.

Substitutions: Abalone, Surf clam

Cooking Methods

Boil, Fry, Sauté

Primary Product Forms

Live

Fresh

• Siphon meat, vacuum packed

Frozen

• Siphon meat, vacuum packed

Dried

• Body meat

---

Put this information and more at your fingertips with the Seafood Handbook

If you buy, source, process, study, sell, prepare, handle or work with seafood, you need the Seafood Handbook. The only professional seafood reference book available anywhere.

Visit Wiley.com to save 15% on The Seafood Handbook and more! Your discount will be applied automatically upon checkout. If you do you not see the discount being applied, please enter code aff15 in the Promotion Code field and click the Apply Discount button.

Order the Seafood Handbook Today!