Conch

There are two ways of getting the edible conch out of its beautiful shell. If you want to save the shell, try method B.

A. Using a 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 a knife into the 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.

 

 

 

B. Take the fresh conch and drop it into a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Take out of the water. With a pair of pliers, grab the conch’s claw and pull like crazy to get it out of the shell.

Next, locate head (black and yellow spotted part, with eye stalks) and cut it off.

Holding the claw, cut off the mantle (orange spotted “skirt” part) and the attached long stringy slimy part.
Rinse in seawater as needed. Conch is slimy. TIP: rub the conch in sand and the slime comes off.

Locate the intestine (dark vein on bottom of white muscle now exposed) and cut it out.

Slice through the dark tough skin on white muscle from bottom to claw.
The easiest way to get the skin off is to use pliers for a good grip and rip it off.

The claw, a good hand hold, may be cut off later.

If your recipe calls for tenderized conch, cut off foot (claw) and slice through muscle horizontally once or twice. Pound with a meat tenderizing mallet (or hammer) until it’s flat, thin, and lacey. This isn’t necessary for salad or fritters.

Or you can just open another can of tuna.

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