Buying Live Shellfish

Buying live shellfish is a good place for a first seafood dish at home. Seafood cooks quickly, so a little preparation goes a long way. Let's look at what makes buying live shellfish work, and what you can skip.

Start here

Clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters, and crabs are often sold alive, and their freshness depends on keeping them that way until cooking. Knowing what to look for at the market and how to handle them at home makes these shellfish safe and enjoyable.

What you need

It helps to remember that bivalves such as clams, mussels, and oysters should have tightly closed shells or shells that close when tapped. Discard any that remain open or have cracked or broken shells. They should smell like clean seawater, with no strong or unpleasant odor. Heavy shells for their size suggest they still hold their natural liquid.

Fresh, well-stored seafood does most of the work for you.

Your first attempt

In the United States, live bivalves are sold with a harvest tag that shows where and when they were harvested. Retailers keep these tags on file for a period of time, and asking to see one is a normal request. The tag offers useful information about origin and freshness.

The practical takeaway is to pull seafood from the heat a moment early, since it keeps cooking on the plate.

What to expect

It helps to remember that lobsters and crabs should be lively and responsive. A lobster should curl its tail when lifted, and crabs should move their legs and claws. Inactive or limp shellfish may be weak or dead and should be avoided, since they deteriorate quickly once they die.

The practical takeaway is to pull seafood from the heat a moment early, since it keeps cooking on the plate.

Easy upgrades

Put simply, transport live shellfish in a cool, ventilated container. The market may provide a bag with ice packed around it, but the shellfish themselves should not sit in melting water. At home, store bivalves in a bowl covered with a damp towel in the refrigerator, never sealed in plastic or immersed in fresh water.

None of this needs to be exact; thickness and stove heat vary, so trust the visual cues.

Next steps

Worth keeping in mind: live shellfish are best cooked as soon as possible. Mussels and clams generally keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, while oysters can last a bit longer when stored cup side down. Lobsters and crabs should be cooked on the day of purchase. Before cooking, check each shell again and discard any that are open, cracked, or questionable.

The practical takeaway is to pull seafood from the heat a moment early, since it keeps cooking on the plate.

Practical tips

Some practical points to keep in mind:

• Let the pan get properly hot before adding the fish.
• Pat fish dry before it goes in the pan.
• Thaw frozen seafood slowly in the fridge overnight.
• Pull fish off the heat just as it turns opaque.

The bottom line

Keep it simple, watch the cues, and do not rush the prep. Take it one dish at a time. Each one teaches you how your own stove and pan behave.