Is there any method of getting rid of the poo inside cherrystone clams before steaming them to eat?

Question

I find that icky brown stuff to be really nasty.

Other than going through each individual clam and picking it out, is there any way you can get them out before cooking them?

I heard that you can put live clams in a bucket of water for a while and they'll relieve themselves....is that true, or is that just a myth? Does anyone know from personal experience?

If so, how much water do you use? What temperature should the water be at? How long do you leave them in?

And how can you tell if the clams are live or not? The cherrystone clams at my Chinese food store are kept in a tank full of cold running water.

Answer 1

Just let them soak in a basin of  tepid water overnight, enough to cover all of the clams.  The shell of live clams are a little bit opened while dead ones are shut.

Answer 2

Any of the clams that are open and do not close when you tap them when bought fresh-throw out. Any clams with broken shells throw out. Fill a pan with enough water to cover calms, 1/3 cup of salt, and a handful of cornmeal. Put the pan in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the clams release their sludge. Rinse the clams before cooking. After cooking, throw away any clams that have stayed shut and not opened. I've used salt only to soak clams, and that works too-but you need to add another step and soak in plain water for a little while because the clams may be too salty when cooked. Hope that helps.