Cleaning conch's?
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t-rocks69
Registered
don't really know how to get the meat out but a rest. near me stir frys it with XO sauce smiliar to oyster sauce and garlic also don't forget to tenderize a little (lit pounding will do) taste really good..don't boil will get rubbery also i have had cerviche made with it chopped very finely
I have seen the meat tied to a string that is in turn tied to a tree. It dies and the shell falls off, I think they only do this for conch shells that should look nice. Most of the ones I've seen for food prep have a hole punched through the shell, but that's as much as I know about the process.
Bob3
Contributor
You usually punch a hole in the end around the 1 o'clock position a turn & a half in & slip a thin bladed knife in there. Some folks hook 'em & hang 'em, others toss them in the freezer & then do the yank.
Boiling 'till they croak is a good way to wreck the meat, turn it into rubber.
It's great stuff in cheviche, conch salad (like a civeche) "cracked" (hammered & fried w/bread crumbs), chowder & fritters.
You need to trim off everything that isn't creamy white.
Be sure to check the local fishing regs though.
Boiling 'till they croak is a good way to wreck the meat, turn it into rubber.
It's great stuff in cheviche, conch salad (like a civeche) "cracked" (hammered & fried w/bread crumbs), chowder & fritters.
You need to trim off everything that isn't creamy white.
Be sure to check the local fishing regs though.
Hank49
Contributor
Wildcard:
Lay the conch flat on the ...dock or cleaning table. Use a rock chipping hammer (small pointed flat end) and chip a hole between the 2nd and 3rd row of spikes on the shell. If the pointed end of the conch is facing you make the hole at about 1:00. Make the hole about an inch long. You can tell when you're on the right spot because the shell is thinner and more brittle there. I then use a butter knife to scrape the seal away from the inner shell. Push the knife down into the hole in the shell and scrape it back and forth. Then grab the "foot" and pull him out. Now the fun starts. Then you have to chop off the foot, cut away the skirt, cut off the eyes and skin him. You will get "slimed" until you learn how to handle it. The slime is almost impossible to get off your hand. AND, the bonus is the little clear spagetti looking noodle.....if you eat that,raw, your wife will be happier...if you get my drift.
I don't cook them. Only ceviche for me. Soup is popular, or fritters but they're greasy.
Hank
Bob and Hank have it covered as to how to get them out and get the edible part ready for cooking or ceviche. Saw the locals do it quite a few times under the Paradise Island to Nassau bridge area where conch is prepared by the locals....
Ceviche - lime juice, fresh chopped tomatoes, green bell pepper chopped, chopped onion, orange juice, conch meat (cut horizontally when flat to form two pieces and scored at 90 degrees into little boxes, then chopped to remain tender), and just a LITTLE scotch-bonnet hot pepper to taste....MMMMMMM!!!
Ceviche - lime juice, fresh chopped tomatoes, green bell pepper chopped, chopped onion, orange juice, conch meat (cut horizontally when flat to form two pieces and scored at 90 degrees into little boxes, then chopped to remain tender), and just a LITTLE scotch-bonnet hot pepper to taste....MMMMMMM!!!
Hank49
Contributor
TropicalDiver:Bob and Hank have it covered as to how to get them out and get the edible part ready for cooking or ceviche. Saw the locals do it quite a few times under the Paradise Island to Nassau bridge area where conch is prepared by the locals....
Ceviche - lime juice, fresh chopped tomatoes, green bell pepper chopped, chopped onion, orange juice, conch meat (cut horizontally when flat to form two pieces and scored at 90 degrees into little boxes, then chopped to remain tender), and just a LITTLE scotch-bonnet hot pepper to taste....MMMMMMM!!!
Orange Juice? Never tried that yet. You forgot cilantro. But I hear that restaurants in Belize don't put it because Gringos don't like it.??
Also if you freeze the conch first, they're a bit softer. If you use fresh conch it's a bit crunchy. Especially the extra large ones. And they still move while you cut them up.
http://www.bootkeyharbor.com/conch_cleaning.htm
Using masonry hammer, make hole in the shell of conch, in space between 3rd & 4th spiral from the center, on the side about two or three points up from the flare.
Insert paring knife into hole. If you feel hard muscle you are in the right place. Cut it through. If you feel soft stuff, go back to step 1 and try again.
Holding onto claw (foot), pull whole conch out of shell. Photo 1.
Locate head (black and yellow spotted part, with eye stalks) and cut off with fillet knife. Photo 2.
Holding by claw, use fillet knife to cut off mantle (orange spotted "skirt" part) and attached long stringy slimy part. Bahamians often leave the mantle on for color in conch salad. It tastes pretty good. Rinse in seawater as needed. Conch is slimy. Photo 3.
Locate intestine (dark vein on bottom of white muscle now exposed) and cut it out with fillet knife. Photo 4.
Slice through dark tough skin on white muscle from bottom to claw with fillet knife.
Using whatever method works for you, remove all of the skin to expose edible white muscle. It may be skinned by putting dull table knife under it to pry off; some people pull it off with their teeth; others put thumbs under it and pull it with hands; others peel it with a fillet knife. Rinse. Photo 5.
The claw, a good hand hold, may be cut off later.
If recipe calls for tenderized conch, cut off foot (claw) and slice through muscle horizontally once or twice. Pound with meat tenderizing mallet till flat, thin, and lacey. Not necessary for salad or fritters.
Refrigerate or use immediately in your favorite recipe.
BTW - I find mixing conch with Hush Puppy batter and cookin up works out really nice!
Using masonry hammer, make hole in the shell of conch, in space between 3rd & 4th spiral from the center, on the side about two or three points up from the flare.
Insert paring knife into hole. If you feel hard muscle you are in the right place. Cut it through. If you feel soft stuff, go back to step 1 and try again.
Holding onto claw (foot), pull whole conch out of shell. Photo 1.
Locate head (black and yellow spotted part, with eye stalks) and cut off with fillet knife. Photo 2.
Holding by claw, use fillet knife to cut off mantle (orange spotted "skirt" part) and attached long stringy slimy part. Bahamians often leave the mantle on for color in conch salad. It tastes pretty good. Rinse in seawater as needed. Conch is slimy. Photo 3.
Locate intestine (dark vein on bottom of white muscle now exposed) and cut it out with fillet knife. Photo 4.
Slice through dark tough skin on white muscle from bottom to claw with fillet knife.
Using whatever method works for you, remove all of the skin to expose edible white muscle. It may be skinned by putting dull table knife under it to pry off; some people pull it off with their teeth; others put thumbs under it and pull it with hands; others peel it with a fillet knife. Rinse. Photo 5.
The claw, a good hand hold, may be cut off later.
If recipe calls for tenderized conch, cut off foot (claw) and slice through muscle horizontally once or twice. Pound with meat tenderizing mallet till flat, thin, and lacey. Not necessary for salad or fritters.
Refrigerate or use immediately in your favorite recipe.
BTW - I find mixing conch with Hush Puppy batter and cookin up works out really nice!
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