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6 Steps to a Great Clambake

1. Choose a place to set up equipment and start your fire. If a stand is not available, use blocks or bricks.
   
2. The clams, chickens and sweet potatoes are already placed properly in your steamer (clams on the bottom, sweet potatoes in the middle, chicken on top). You need only add water and put the steamer over the fire. General rule-of-thumb is one PINT of water per bake or 2" of water on the bottom of steamer.
3. Do not expect any steam for at least the first 30 minutes. Once the bake has begun steaming, wait another 30 minutes before removing the cover. The
   potatoes and chickens should now be cooked. REMOVING THE COVER BEFORE THIS TIME WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF STEAM. The more often the cover is removed, the longer it will take to cook the bake. If too much steam is allowed to escape, the clams will not open. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CLAMS THAT DO NOT OPEN.
4. Remove the chickens and allow them to cool. At this point, add HUSKED corn and cook for another 15 minutes. Everything should now be ready to eat.
5. While you are cooking the corn, broil or barbecue the chicken to make it hot and crisp - far more enjoyable than a plain, steamed chicken. You may now serve the clam broth and baste the corn.
6. Cooking time varies depending on size of bake, intensity of heat and weather. On windy days the fire should be shielded to keep heat under the steamer.
   Block out the wind with foil, sheet metal, blocks or bricks. For most clambakes, total cooking time should be 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

In Addition...

Chickens... Normally the chickens will cook faster than the large sweet potato. If the chickens are allowed to remain in the steamer until the large sweet potato is cooked, the chicken may overcook. To avoid this and to make a more tempt-tasting clambake, we recommend that the chickens be removed when they are cooked (test by piercing with fork), and allow to cool. Shortly before serving your clambake, brown the chickens over a charcoal fire or under a broiler.

Lobsters...live... Live lobsters can be cooked in the clambake steamer or in a separate pot. To cook live lobsters in the clambake steamer, place lobsters directly on steamer contents. Steam for approximately 15-18 minutes.

Lobster Tails... Place directly on steamer contents. Allow to steam approximately 20 minutes if tails are frozen, or approximately 10 - 12 minutes if tails are thawed out.

King Crab... Place directly on steamer contents. Allow to steam approximately 15 minutes if king crab is frozen, or approximately 10 minutes if king crab is thawed out. Place a small amount of aluminum foil under crab. This allows the crab to stay together and not fall all over the other food.

Please Note!

• Be sure steamer is level when cooking to avoid scorching.
  
• Confine fire underneath steamer only.
  
• Never let flames or hot coals touch sides of cooking equipment as this burns and damages equipment; it also causes broth to evaporate, causing bake to burn.
  
• All equipment is to be returned in good condition with 24 hours after it has been used.
  
• Extra rental will be charged for further delay.
  
• Rule-of-thumb -- One pint of water per bake, about 2" of water in steamer.