Clams Casino Recipe

It had been a long since I’d indulged in Clams Casino or even thought about them. The buttery breadcrumb mixture loaded with bacon, bell peppers, and onions takes this Classic Jersey Shore appetizer to another level of deliciousness.

 

Sometimes, I think the world tends to forget about Classic Restaurant Dishes. As they become less trendy and chefs color outside the lines with their new creations, old favorites are forgotten.

That, my friends, is why I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite appetizers, Clams Casino, with you. They’re really easy to make and will make you look like a superstar in the kitchen!

If you love shellfish appetizers, make sure to try our Jersey Shore Baked Deviled Clams and Oysters Rockefeller recipes.

Ingredients

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make our Jersey Shore Clams Casino recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place. *The bread crumbs and unsalted butter are missing from the ingredients picture.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

What type of clams should I use?

Top necks are the best size for stuffing. Cherry stones are a little larger but also good for stuffing.

Littleneck clams are too small, and chowder clams are too big and will be tough.

What is the difference between Clams Casino and Clams Oreganta?

The much simpler version of Oreganata contains bread crumbs and seasonings. The upscale Clams Casino adds bacon, peppers, and onions, creating a symphony of flavors.

How to make Clams Casino

• Add the unsalted butter to the pan with the chopped bacon and cook the bacon for about 5 minutes. It won’t be crispy.
  *The bacon fat and butter will flavor the mixture.
• Add the diced peppers and onions to the pan.
  *I used a mixture of yellow, green, and red peppers, but feel free to use all of one color.
• Let the mixture cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
• Add the oregano, grated parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and freshly chopped Italian parsley to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, and mix everything together.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and place it in the refrigerator. As the mixture chills, it will begin to solidify. Let the mixture chill for at least an hour, stirring every 15 minutes so everything is equally distributed throughout the butter.

*The mixture can be made up days in advance. It will hold well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Do I need to clean the clams before opening?

Before opening the clams, place them in a bowl and allow cold water to run over them for about 5 minutes. Dump the water out every now and then to ensure they are as clean as possible.

How do I open the Clams?

Unless they are intended for Clams on a half-shell, I have a secret method to make life much easier. Place the clams in the freezer for at least an hour or overnight. When removed from the freezer, you’ll find the clams are opened slightly (this is the only time open clams are safe to eat). That means no clam knife, no accidental cuts, and no trips to the hospital for stitches.

Of course, if you’re a purist, feel free to use a clam knife. But I promise not to tell anyone if you use my secret method.

Using a small knife, place the blade in the corner of the shell and twist it to pop the shell open a little more. Once it’s opened up, use the knife to go above and below the clam, freeing it entirely from the upper shell. Now, twist off the top and discard it. Use the knife to make sure the clam is loose from the bottom of the shell as well. Don’t throw away the clam juice; leave it in the bottom shells.

The easier you make it to slurp the clam off entirely into your mouth, the more clams you will be able to eat.

• Place the opened clams on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
• Remove the casino mix from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon, add the prepared Casino mix to the clam. Press the casino mix into the clam firmly with your hand to make a nice mound. Repeat this process until all of the clams are stuffed.
• Place the clams in a preheated 375-degree Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon and tops begin to get nicely browned.
• Remove the clams carefully from the baking dish. If necessary, re-stuff the clams with the mix that fell out.

Chef Dennis Tip

When purchasing seafood, especially shellfish, look for a safe food source. When cleaning the clams, discard any that are open prior to freezing or opening them with a clam knife.

You’ll find many versions of Clams Casino on the Internet, each claiming to be the best. During my years as a restaurant chef at the Jersey Shore, this was the most popular appetizer we had on the menu.

Leftovers can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container (or tightly covered with plastic wrap) for two days. To reheat, place them in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes.

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