Frank and Sue Tie Clamboil Ingredients into cheesecloth bag

There aren't many options if you want to have a clambake without gathering firewood and heating stones for half a day. This method is for the
back yard " chef" who wants to avoid all the fuss.
You will need a large clam steamer like the one shown here. If you don't want to spend about $40.00 , you can rent one for a day for a few dollars.








Fill the lower section with water and the upper section with the food.

Don't forget to rent the gas cooker.
A 34 quart steamer will hold enough food for nine people. You have three choices.

1. Invite nine 2. Serve nine and prepare a second round to provide for 18.3. Rent two setups. Gather the food and stack in piles on a picnic table or benchYou will need:9 lobsters10 dozen steamer clams ( about one dozen each)9 pieces of fish ( about 5 pounds)9 chicken drumsticks.9 ears of corn 10 medium size potatoes ( 9 for eating, 1 for testing )9 medium size onions.Melted buttersalt and pepper Cheesecloth Unbleached . (Available from Amazon.com or some food stores)Seaweed. ( Make a trip to the beach with a plastic trash bag and gather some ) Fill the water section of the steamer. Cut cheesecloth into pieces about 24 in x 24 in.Place a lobster, the fish, the chicken , the clams, the corn, the potato and the onion on the cloth and gather to make a bag. ( A good time to get some guests involved with the bag filling )Place the nine bags in the steamer. Cover the bags with the seaweed.Place a potato on the seaweed.Fire up the steamer. When the potato on top of the seaweed is cooked, so is everything else. ( 45 to 60 minutes )Distribute the bags .You will notice a melding of flavors. OH ! I almost forgot......plenty of cold beer and for dessert, coffee and lemon cornmeal cake ( see Kitchen )
   • The seaweed serves two purposes. It imparts an "oceanic" flavor and serves as a reflux condenser. (The steam condenses to liquid water on the seaweed and is recycled) .