Clam juice

Clam juice is a broth derived from steamed clams,^[1] which can be consumed on its own or used as an ingredient in various dishes and beverages.

A shot glass of clam juice

Preparation

Clam juice is typically prepared from the liquid obtained from steamed clams.^[1] Clam juice may be prepared fresh for consumption,^[2] or purchased in prepared bottled form.^[1][3] Some companies mass-produce prepared clam juice, which is made by steaming fresh clams in water with salt, collecting the extracted liquid known as clam extract or clam liquor, and then filtering it.^[1][4]

In 1937, William G. Frazier invented a clam opener devised to easily open clams and retain all of the clam juice, which was collected in a bowl.^[5] A patent for the clam opener was issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on November 15, 1938.^[5]

Use in dishes

Bottled clam juice being used in the preparation of clam chowder

Clam juice is sometimes used in the preparation of clam chowder and other chowders.^[3] It may be used as an ingredient in various sauces and meat sauces, seafood dishes, in soup bases, and as a condiment to top foods, similar to the manner that fish sauce may be used.^[1][6][7]

Italian chefs sometimes use clam juice as an ingredient in seafood dishes and pasta sauces.^[1] It is sometimes used during the deglazing process in cooking.^[1] It may provide a mineral-like flavor to dishes, and serve as a substrate to assist in combining flavors present in a dish.^[1]

As a beverage

Some restaurants and bars in the US serve shots of pure clam juice.^[8] For example, the Old Clam House in San Francisco, California serves a shot glass of hot clam juice at the beginning of each meal.^[8] In the early 1900s in the United States, clam juice was purported to be a hangover remedy.^[1]

Exterior of the Everleigh Club, circa 1911

The Everleigh Club, a former brothel in Chicago, Illinois, that was in operation from 1900 to October 1911, would serve iced clam juice and a tablet of aspirin as a starter for breakfast, which began at 2:00 in the afternoon.^[9][10]

Beverages with clam juice

Soda fountains

In the United States in the early 1900s, clam juice was used as an ingredient for various beverages at soda fountains.^[11] Beverages prepared with clam juice included hot clam juice, hot clam soda, hot ginger clam broth, hot celery punch, hot clam cream, clam night cap, tomato clam broth and others.^{[11][12][13][14]}

During this time, a recipe for hot clam juice used one-half to one-ounce of clam juice in an eight-ounce glass, the remainder of which was filled with hot water.^[11] Accompaniments included soda crackers, celery salt, salt and pepper.^[11] The beverage was sometimes prepared with the addition of milk or hot milk.^[11] The addition of a small portion of butter would enhance the flavor of hot clam juice.^[11]

Cocktails

In contemporary times, clam juice is sometimes used as an ingredient or drink mixer in cocktails, such as the Caesar,^[2][15][16] also known as a Bloody Caesar.^[17]

Clamato

Main article: Clamato

A Caesar cocktail prepared with Clamato juice

Clamato is a mass-produced beverage prepared with tomato juice concentrate, clam juice and spices.^[18][19] It also contains high fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate, salt and ascorbic acid.^[19] Clamato is used as an ingredient in the Caesar cocktail.^[20] The michelada, a beer cocktail, is sometimes prepared using Clamato as an ingredient.^[21]

See also

• Clam sauce
• Fred Fear & Company – a former U.S. purveyor of clam juice
• List of juices
• Oyster sauce
• Drink portal