Unique NW Cuisine: Geoducks

World’s largest Burrowing Clam
At first sight the geoduck looks a bit like a clam that tried—and failed—to swallow an elephant. With shells up to 9 inches, these giant clams live in sandy mud 3 feet below the surface and feed using an oversized, trunk-like siphon that can extend as far as 39 inches. Because living below the surface offers protection from most predators, geoducks can live up to 150 years and reach weights of over 10 pounds. The average weight of harvestable geoducks is around 1-3 pounds.

Geoducks are found along the west coast of the United States and Canada, thriving primarily in Washington and British Columbia. According to the Washington Department of Natural Resources, there are an estimated 682 million pounds of geoducks in Washington waters. Puget Sound, especially the southern sound, and Hood Canal have the most concentrated populations. Each year nearly 5 million pounds of geoducks are harvested in Washington alone.

Geoduck Cultivation
Since the 1970s, geoduck harvest has steadily increased over recent years because of the clam’s high demand in Asia. Companies and private owners have planted geoducks in PVC pipes on small areas of Puget Sound beaches, but these farmed geoducks form less than 20 percent of the state’s annual harvest. Commercial harvesting is strictly regulated in terms of quantities and methods. Hand-operated water jets are allowed for loosening the sand, but divers must dig out geoducks by hand as the siphons are very fragile. Geoducks are exported mostly to China and Japan where they are considered a delicacy. Because of the market’s high demand and the need to ship live geoducks quickly, they can sell for over $20/lb. The siphon, or neck, is the most desirable part of the clam and is in some cultures considered an aphrodisiac because of its phallic appearance. Common geoduck recipes include chowder, Chinese hot pot dishes, and sushi (called mirugai on Japanese menus). After the skin is removed, the siphon is thinly sliced and eaten raw or just slightly cooked. The body meat is typically cut or ground up for chowder.

Though a trip to Pike Place Market is not likely to yield geoducks (most customers prefer the novelty to the actual consumption) Uwajimaya frequently sells them for around $17.99/lb. Both City Fish Company and Pure Food Fish Market at Pike Place offer them through their websites.

Interesting Facts
*The name comes from the Nisqually word gweduck, meaning “dig deep.” The discrepancy between the current spelling and the pronunciation (“gooey-duck”) is believed to be a typo somewhere along the lines from the original word.

*The geoduck is the official mascot of The Evergreen State College, and their fight song is both entertaining and educational.

*In 2003 Justin Bookey directed a documentary 3 Feet Under: Digging Deep for the Geoduck, released with the tagline, “a documentary for those who let it all hang out.”

Geoduck Chowder Recipe Courtesy of www.gooey-duck.com
Serves 4: * 1 geoduck (2 to 3 pounds)
4 oz. block bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tsp unsalted butter
* 1 large onion, diced
* 3 oz diced celery root
* 2 tsp crushed fresh thyme
* 2 dried bay leaves
* 1½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and finely sliced
3 to 4 cups canned clam juice
* 2 cups heavy cream
* Black pepper -dash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1.5 lbs fresh chanterelles, cleaned and finely sliced
Salt -dash
2 tbsp crushed parsley
2 tbsp crushed chives
* Toasted regular crackers


1. Working over a bowl to grab the liquid, cut the geoduck out of its shell with a sharp knife. Cut out the delicate belly and discard. Cut the siphon and body apart, and cut the body into 1/3-inch dice. Weigh the body meat. Cut the siphon into half-inch slices, slicing only enough to make a total of 12 ounces siphon and body meat.

Use the remainder of the siphon for sashimi. Place the densely sliced siphon meat in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Put all the geoduck meat in the refrigerator while you resume the recipe. Strain the geoduck liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup. Add enough clam juice to total 4 cups of liquid and set aside.

2. In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Add the 4 tablespoons butter, onion, celery root, thyme and bay leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes and the clam juice mixture and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil bare, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and just start to break up, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Add the cream and reserved geoduck meat to the pot, season with pepper, and take it off the heat to rest for up to an hour. If you're not serving the chowder within an hour, cool it to room temperature and put it in the refrigerator for up to two days.

5. Reheat the chowder over low heat. While it's heating, arrange the chanterelle garnish. Place a skillet over average-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Sautee the chanterelles, sprinkling with salt, until they've browned, about 5 minutes.

6. Provide the chowder in heated plates, garnished with the chanterelles, parsley, chives, and toasted crackers.