Clam juice is collected by steaming fresh clams in their shells with salted water, then straining and bottling the resulting clam-infused liquid. This process extracts the flavorful liquid that resides within the clams, creating the product known as clam juice.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Steaming: Fresh, in-the-shell clams are placed in a pot with a small amount of salted water. The pot is then heated, causing the clams to steam open.
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Extraction: As the clams steam, they release their natural juices, which mix with the salted water to create a flavorful broth.
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Straining: The resulting liquid is then strained to remove any solid particles, such as shell fragments or clam meat.
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Bottling: Finally, the strained liquid, now considered clam juice, is bottled for commercial sale and consumption.
The final product is a relatively mild, yet flavorful, ingredient commonly used to enhance seafood dishes and cocktails.
