How to Prepare and Cook Conch

Conch, also called whelk, is a type of sea snail. Unlike oysters, scallops and other bivalves, conches have shells that are made all of one piece and do not open and close. Although it can be difficult to find in stores, conch is a relatively inexpensive seafood. This article will show you how to prepare and cook conch.

Steps

1
Choose your conches.
- Conches should be white with pink and orange.
- Do not buy conches that appear gray.
- Conches should not give off a fishy smell.
2
Prepare conch for cooking.
- If you have collected the conches yourself, you will need to remove the meat from the shell. If the conch is difficult to remove, drill a small hole in the top of the shell to break the suction and then it should be fairly easy to pull the conch out of the main opening of the shell.
- Wash the conch in several changes of water.
- Use only the muscle of the conches for food. The digestive gland must be removed for the meat to be safe.
- Before you can cook conches, you must remove the operculum. The operculum is a shell-like covering that protects the conch and assists in locomotion. Cut it off with a knife.
- If you are not using precooked conch meat, soak the conches in salty water for several hours.
- Cut off any dark pieces of skin on the conchs.
- Tenderize the conches by pounding it with a mallet until it is smooth and the thickness you want. This may not be necessary if you choose a longer cooking method for your conches.
Advertisement
3
Cook the conches.
- Chemically "cook" raw conch in a ceviche by soaking it for a few minutes in lime juice with flavoring that you enjoy. Red onions, chile peppers and cilantro are traditional seasoning choices.
- Bread the conches by dipping first in beaten egg and then in flour. Deep fry the breaded conchs until the flesh appears cooked. Cooking times will vary on the size of the pieces of conch meat you use.
- Simmer conches in stews or soups for 1 hour.
- Steam conches for about 5 minutes. Steamed conch is often served with vinegar.

Community Q&A

Question

If I buy conch at the fish market out of the shell, is it precooked?

Michele

Top Answerer

Only the fishmonger will know if it's cooked, raw, frozen or thawed from frozen.
Question

Can I refreeze conch?

Michele

Top Answerer

No. Most raw fish should not be refrozen, and conch is no exception. Do not refreeze, but cook and consume seafood products immediately. Leftovers can be frozen, but depending on how they were cooked, may lose some flavor once thawed.
Question

I live in south Texas and I just bought 6 conch from a local trawler fisherman. Are these safe for consumption?

Eh_i_guess

Community Answer

As long as they are fresh. Next time you should ask the fisherman when he or she caught the conch.

Warnings

Make sure the digestive gland of the conch has been removed before cooking. The digestive gland of conch contains toxins.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 35 Not Helpful 24
Many varieties of conch are protected. Make sure you are eating conchs that are not illegal to obtain in your area. Try to buy conches from reputable providers who use ecologically sound harvesting methods and only harvest adult conches.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 4