Grilled Clams
on Aug 21, 2023, Updated Jun 04, 2025
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In a handful of minutes and almost no work, you can have warm, plump clams from the grill. Summertime bliss for all the shellfish lovers out there.
Grilled clams are one of the best hands-off grilling seafood appetizers of all time. You basically have to toss them on the hot grill, wait for them to open in just a few minutes (thanks to the steam that pops open the tops of the shells), and then eat. No need to pry them open, no need to shuck them. No need to adorn them with anything more than just a squeeze of lemon. That’s it!
You definitely could make some easy lemon butter sauce to dunk the clams into, or just saute a bit of garlic and stir it into melted butter and use that. You might serve these plump, briny little bivalves up with some crusty bread or grilled bruschetta. Or, if you feel like making one more easy appetizer, pair them with Pan con Tomate. I think an ideal summer meal would start off with these briny grilled clams, and follow with New England Baked Haddock, Grilled Halibut, or Grilled Tuna Steak, paired with a salad.
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And if you are planning to make Linguine with White Clam Sauce, think about making a batch of these grilled clams to go on top of the pasta! Extra briny flavor, and the cuteness of clams in the shell on top of your clam pasta is a special treat.
How to Cook Clams on the Grill
Discard any clams that are broken or open. Make sure that when you put the clams on the grill, they are lying fairly flat. When grilling clams, you don’t need to turn or flip them, but you do want to make sure they are nicely nestled into the grill grates so they don’t tip.
I used to think it mattered which side was down in terms of how the clam was released from the shell, but I have not found that to be the case. Whichever side of the shell pops up will remain attached to the clams, and the juice will collect in the bottom shell. Use tongs to remove the clams from the grill.
Grill Basket
If you cook shellfish regularly on the grill, you should think about a seafood grill basket or grill rack. It makes fish easier to flip and prevents you from losing anything between the grill grates.
Best Kind of Clams to Grill
You can grill basically any type of clam. There are three kinds of clams on the grill here: Littleneck, Cherrystone, and Topneck. Quahogs, chowders, manillas, and coquinas are also all great candidates for grilling. The more locally you can get your clams, and the quicker you can cook them, the fresher they will be!
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Simple Grilled Clams
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small clams
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- Make sure that any clams (or other bivalves) you purchase smell very fresh and are not opened or cracked. Discard any that are either open or cracked.
- Arrange the clams on the grill grate, nestling them in so that they sit flat and the juices remain in the shells. Close the lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes (see above for cooking times for different-sized clams), until the clams open and are just barely cooked through. The best way to remove the clams from the grill is with tongs, and you should try and keep your hand steady so that as much of the juices in the bottom shell stay there for slurping.
- Transfer them to a platter and serve hot with the lemon wedges.
Notes
- You’ll have to detach the clam from the top shell to eat it. Then pour the liquid from the bottom shell into your mouth as kind of a chaser. Just try not to spill the juices! Serve the clams on a large platter with some crusty bread for soaking up the juices.
Nutrition
Things to Know About Cooking Clams on the Grill
This depends on the size of the clam and the heat of the fire. Clams cooked using the below method can take anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes to open on the grill.
The best way to remove the clams from the grill is with tongs. Try to keep your hand steady so that as much of the juices in the bottom shell stay there for slurping. You’ll have to detach the clam from the top shell to eat it. Then pour the liquid from the bottom shell into your mouth as a kind of chaser. Just try not to spill the juices!
Yes, you can cook them right on the grill without thawing them. Once they hit the heat from the hot grill, the clams will thaw very fast. Put the frozen clams right on the hot grill, and know they may take an extra couple of minutes to cook.
It depends on the size of the clams and the other appetizers you have on deck. For an appetizer portion, plan for 1/2 pound of clams per person, slightly more if your clams are large and the shells are heavy.
Or you can think about the number of clams if that’s easier. Think about 10 small clams per person, 6 medium clams per person, or 4 large clams per person. You can also use cherrystone clams, which are smaller and will cook faster. About 32 of those will make appetizer-sized servings for 4 people. These amounts should be doubled if you have big seafood lovers or if they are meant to be a main course.
If you think your clams might have grit in them (and many clams do), you’ll want to soak them in a solution of cold water with a little bit of salt added. This helps them purge any internal grit or sand. Some cooks think adding some cornmeal to the water helps the purging process. Soak them for 30 minutes, give them a quick scrub with a brush, and get them onto the grill.
What to Serve With Grilled Clams
