Clams and oysters don’t immediately come to mind when you’re firing up the grill, yet they’re practically designed for grilling. Think about it: their hard, curved shells protect the tender meat inside as they cook, holding not only the bivalves’ own tasty liquor but also whatever sauce or garnish you bestow upon them. Plus, their sweet, salty flavors go wonderfully well with the smoky flavor from the fire. Once you try this technique, I’m sure you’ll add it to your grilling repertoire.

Let the grill do the shucking

当我为烤架准备贝类时，我通常会首先将它们撕下，就像将它们的生生成一样，将肉放在弯曲的壳中。当顶部外壳关闭时，我可以最准确地衡量它们烹饪的速度。但是，由于我花了很多年的时间处理贝类，因此对我来说，砍伐可能比大多数家庭厨师容易。幸运的是，烤蛤and和牡蛎的一件很棒的事情之一是，您可以使用烤架的热量来哄骗它们的贝壳。但是，您需要仔细观看贝类，因为到贝壳完全打开时（它们从裂缝到毛）时，内部的肉可能已经煮熟了。牡蛎尤其如此。

For best results, be diligent and wield a pair of good tongs. (I use spring-action stainless-steel tongs that are about nine inches long.) As soon as a bivalve begins to gape, help it along by wedging the tongs between the two shells. This is easier to do if you take them off the grill. Use a thick kitchen towel or a mitt to protect your hand as you work. Once the shell is open, you can better judge the cooking. Be sure to take the mollusks off the heat as soon as the meat begins to firm and the edges curl.

Choose hard-shelled clams and oysters

Most types of oysters are good for grilling because they all have relatively hard shells. I’ve noticed that some varieties with heavily pocked shells—Spinney Creeks from Maine, for example—are more fragile and tend to crumble with the heat. If you have a choice, avoid this type.

我们的北部硬蛤lam是从加拿大大西洋到美国南部收获的北部硬蛤，但与新英格兰的海鲜传统最有联系。它们是根据尺寸分类的：LittleNecks（最小），Countnecks，Cherrystones和Quahogs或Chowder蛤（最大）。我喜欢Countnecks和Cherrystones的烧烤炉，因为它们足够大，值得我一段时间，但它们并不像杂烩蛤lam那样坚韧。切勿将蒸笼直接烤在火上：它们的贝壳太脆弱了，无法烧烤。

贻贝在烤架上也很棒。Mussels, which I never shuck before grilling, work nearly as well as oysters and clams. Their only drawback is that, because they tend to be thinner, they can easily fall between the grates. At home, I grill mussels in a grilling basket, but they also cook perfectly well on one of those steel cooking grids.

在烧烤之前，请确保清洁所有贝类。在烧烤之前，所有软体动物应在凉爽的自来水下用硬刷清洗。要额外注意铰链，后者通常会收集天然的海洋泥浆和泥浆。

一个热（但不太热）

当烧烤双壳类时，火的热量不得极端。牡蛎壳材料由软体动物分层沉积，产生一个层压壳，如果热量极端，可能会破碎甚至爆炸。（切勿将牡蛎贝壳直接掉入煤中，并用钳子快速去除任何确实落入火中的壳。）因此，烤架的热量最多应该是中等热的。要测试适当的热量，请将手掌握在炉排上方一两英寸。当您可以将手握住两秒钟之前，您必须将其拉开，这是正确的。

我用烟囱起动器燃起火，我更喜欢液体起动器 - 无残留的石油香气。（如果您没有烟囱的起动器，请拿到一个；它们便宜且方便。）我也更喜欢块或天然硬木木炭而不是传统的煤球。对于我的27英寸韦伯烤架，我用天然木炭填充了12 x 7-1/2英寸的烟囱起动器。当煤均匀地发光时，我将烟囱的内容物转动到烤架上并均匀地铺开，这是一个非常稀疏的分布，非常适合双壳类动物。

Of course, you can cook the shellfish on a gas grill, but you won’t get the great smoky flavor a true fire delivers.

Serve with melted butter, cocktail sauce, or one of the following recipes

烤贝类制成美妙的开胃菜。在一个休闲聚会上，朋友可以在烤架上露出蛤和牡蛎。为了进行更正式的演示，可以用酱汁将双壳类物品简要加热，然后放在盘子或盘子上。普通融化的黄油是一种很好的传统伴奏。这garlic butter recipethat follows, however, is a showstopper. For a bright, peppery kick, try theVerjus版本of the classic mignonette. Other toppings you might consider include your favorite barbecue sauce, freshly made pesto, a curry vinaigrette, or a sprinkling of bacon and parsley.