Classic Eastern Shore Clam Fritters
Eastern Shore Clam Fritters are a dish that brings back memories of coastal get-togethers and fresh seafood feasts. This recipe combines tender clams with a flavorful batter that fries up golden and crispy. They’re quick to make and always disappear fast, whether I’m serving them as an appetizer or a main dish. Add a little tartar sauce or a splash of lemon, and you’ve got a true taste of Delmarva!
Ingredients
- Oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup clam juice
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped clams (15 – 20 clams depending on size)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, ground
Instructions
- Shuck clams and reserve clam juice
- Remove the black stomach from the clams using kitchen scissors.
- Cut clams into small pieces using scissors or a mini food processor. If using a food processor, just pulse it a few times. The idea is to still have the texture of clams but in smaller pieces.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine olive oil, egg, clams, and milk. Stir until well blended.
- In a second mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and mix.
- Stir in the wet contents from the first bowl into the second.
- While still stirring, slowly add in clam juice until the mixture has the consistency of thick pancake batter. You may not need all of the clam juice to reach the optimum batter thickness.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat, add cooking oil to the pan to thoroughly cover the skillet bottom.
- After the oil has reached temperature, ladle in the mixture. Fritters should be 4″ – 5″ in diameter. Be careful to not overcrowd your fritters.
- Cook fritters for 5 minutes on each side or until they have a golden-brown exterior.
- Remove from heat and place on the cooling rack for a couple of minutes to drain any excess oil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
When preparing this Eastern Shore clam fritter recipe, the amount of liquid (milk or clam juice) can vary depending on the clams used.
The most important factor in this recipe is getting the batter consistency the way you like it. Some people make their fried fritters to be flat, while others make them on the thicker side.