Steamer Clams bear a very sweet, tender softshell clams which are hand-harvested from the sandbars along the Maine coast as they have been for generations. This kind of clam are mostly steamed and served.
Steamer Clams, sometimes called Ipswich, are soft shelled clams with a sweet ocean flavor and are more tender than hardshell clams like cherrystones, or littlenecks. Steamer clams are about 2 inches in diameter, and their shells are very thin and easily broken, which is why they are called soft shells.
However, the saltiness is more of a salt-water-y kind of way. They have a fishy taste but it is not gross nor is it overpowering. Their texture is difficult to describe, but clams are chewy, and depending on how they are prepared, can come off as slightly rubbery.
