The Perfect Labor Day Clambake
Whether you’ve sizzled through summer, counted the days until autumn’s cool relief, or blissfully soaked up the rays for three months, it’s time to give the season a loving farewell.
The summer fun doesn’t have to end just yet. Labor Day is finally upon us, which means this is the perfect weekend to get your clambake on before the summer comes to a close. A Labor Day Clambake on the beach is the perfect and fun way to complete the summer. This way, you can enjoy the end of the summer sun with an inspired menu full of delicious seafood.
A clambake is centered around the preparation and cooking of the food. The key here is to make sure to have all of your ingredients before you get to the beach. Use a wheelbarrow or wagon to get all the food down to the beach. Don’t forget the drinks and ice!
Ingredients:
- 20 small (1 pound) lobsters
- 20 pounds clams in the shell, scrubbed
- 10 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
- 10 pounds cod
- 20 white potatoes
- 20 sweet potatoes
- 20 ears fresh corn
- 5 pounds sausage
- 3 pounds sweet onions
- bushel of seaweed
- the clean, wet cloth
- tarp
Directions:
- At the beach, dig a hole in the sand with the approximate proportions: 2 feet wide, 4 feet long, and 6-12 inches deep. Line the hole with stones from the beach.
- Build a fire inside of the hole and cover with rocks. Heat the stones for 2 to 3 hours.
- Next, remove coals and embers from the hole. Arrange hot stones evenly across the bottom of the hole. Place half of a bushel of fresh, wet seaweed on top of the hot stones. Work quickly to layer the food on top of the seaweed. The seafood should be layered evenly on top of each other in the following order: clams, mussels, fish, sausage, onions, potatoes, corn, and lobsters.
- Cover the food with a clean, wet cloth. Then, place the other half of the seaweed on top of the cloth.
- Finally, cover the hole with a sheet of wet tarpaulin to seal in the steam created by the hot stones and seaweed. Allow a very small amount of steam out to escape and relieve the pressure.
- Cook for 1-3 hours or until the potatoes are soft.
- Serve the seafood with ramekins of melted butter and the liquid base at the bottom of the pot.
There is certainly a lot of work involved in a Labor Day clambake - but it’s worth the effort! When the hard work is done and while the food cooks, enjoy a few ice-cold beers and pass around a guitar.
Create a Perfect Place Setting: To complete the nautical theme, simple and elegant decorations, and tableware like Eco Party Warehouse's fully compostable, eco-friendly sugarcane plates are perfect for a clambake. When the food is ready, simply serve and enjoy!
Keep It Going: After dinner, find a cozy place to enjoy dessert and talk the night away. Just add a few throw blankets, and you are set!