Crown Prince Clam Juice: Production and Recipes

We round off our Global Spotlight Series trip to Holland with a look at how our clam juice is made and a few recipe recommendations (though as we all know, nothing compares to your mom’s recipe).

Fishing and Preparation

Clams live on the sea floor, and the clams we harvest are found close to the shore in tidal areas ranging 1-10 meters in depth. They’re harvested by dredgers, flat-bottomed, low-draft boats about 30 meters in length.

The Geopotes 14 lifting its boom on a canal in The Netherlands. (gēopotēs is Greek for “that which drinks earth”) via Wikimedia Commons

As the name implies, the dredgers dredge up the clams, which go through a sizing machine before being kept on board: the undersized clams (smaller than 2”) fall back into the water, ensuring that the population continues to mature and reproduce at healthy numbers. To aid this, the Dutch government tightly regulates fishing areas, and licenses are required for the clams to be taken ashore.

The preparation of clam juice is quite simple. Transported to the cannery by truck, the clams are sent through an automated process of washing, steaming, and shucking before their juice is collected, strained, and poured into sterile bottles, ready to ship!

Cooking With Clam Juice: Go Classic With Chowders and Pasta

Clam Juice is an interesting member of our product line. It’s one of the only ingredients that really cannot be the star of the dish, but as we know from the Oscars, strong supporting actors can make or break a film (or a meal).

Some purists insist that clam chowder isn’t authentic without clam juice in the base. Here’s our take on Cheesy Clam Chowder – however it’s not the only soup that benefits from this briny, flavorful addition. Try these Salmon Chilean Ceviche and Tuna Red Pepper Potato Soup recipes.

Pasta dishes are also a classic way to use clam juice, particularly linguine. We pair it with lemon and salmon in this Lemon Linguine Salmon recipe.

Step Outside Your Shell – Try Clam Juice Someplace New

From salad dressing to bloody marys, there are some surprising uses for clam juice out there. Here are our top 3 Crown Prince tested recipes that use clam juice someplace you might not expect it – and do so deliciously!

1. Tuna Pasta Salad

2. Salmon Crab Enchiladas

3. Tuna Enchilada Pie