Best Garlic Butter Razor Clams

4.66 from 38 votes

Best Garlic Butter Razor Clams

There are so many ways to cook clams, but this simple garlic butter version is by far the best razor clam recipe I’ve ever tried! The razor clams are delicately sweet, juicy, and buttery, cooked in a skillet in just 15 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Clams

Cuisine: American Recipes

Keyword: Garlic Butter Razor Clams

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. razor clams or Manila clams
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn pounded and chopped coarsely
2 stalks scallion cut into small rounds
1 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

Add salt to a big container of cold water. Soak the razor clams in the cold water. Make sure the water covers the clams. Set aside for 30 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the razor clams with cold running water. Transfer them to a colander and drain the excess water. Set aside.
Heat up the butter in a microwave, for about 20-30 second, until completely melted. Add the garlic, black pepper and scallion. Stir to combine well.
Heat up a cast-iron skillet on high heat on stove top. When the skillet is very hot, add the vegetable oil. Arrange the razor clams on the skillet, in one layer. Cook on high heat until the razor clamshells are open. You may cover the cast-iron skillet with a cover to help cooking the razor clams.
Spoon the garlic butter mixture on each open razor clam. Turn off the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

I always look for clams that are tightly closed. If any are cracked or open, I toss them—they’re not fresh.
A hot cast-iron skillet is key. I make sure it’s sizzling when the clams hit the pan, so they cook quickly and get that perfect sear.
It’s tempting to cook everything at once, but I’ve learned that overcrowding leads to uneven cooking. If I need to, I cook in batches to give each clam the space it needs to cook evenly.
Razor clams cook quickly—once they pop open, they’re ready! I make sure not to overcook them, as they can get tough. I always keep an eye on them and remove them from the heat as soon as they open up.
If I want to take my sauce to the next level, I just splash in some dry white wine. It goes so well with the garlic and butter and gives the whole thing an extra pop of flavor.

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