Seafood
Shellfish
Crustaceans and mollusks cooking methods
Choose your shellfish
Pick a specific shellfish cut or type for detailed cooking guides.
Clams
Bivalve shellfish with sweet, briny meat. Available as littlenecks, cherrystones, and quahogs.
Crab
Sweet, delicate shellfish available as whole crab, legs, claws, or picked meat
Lobster
Premium shellfish with sweet, tender meat. Available whole or as tails.
Mussels
Small bivalve shellfish with tender meat and sweet, briny flavor. Usually sold live in shells.
Sea Scallops
Large, sweet mollusks prized for their delicate flavor and buttery texture
Shrimp
Sweet, versatile shellfish available in various sizes, cooks very quickly
Popular methods
How home cooks make shellfish
The most loved shellfish techniques, tested by home cooks.
Pan-Searing
Pan-Searing Sea Scallops
Grilling
Grilling Clams
Grilling
Grilling Crab
Grilling
Grilling Lobster
Grilling
Grilling Mussels
Steaming
Steaming Clams
Doneness
Shellfish Temperature Guide
Safe internal temperatures for different levels of doneness across all shellfish items.
| Doneness | Temperature | Description | Common For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe | 165°F / 75°C | Properly cooked | Clams, Crab, Mussels +1 more |
| Safe | 165°F / 75°C | Opaque and firm, shells open (for mussels/clams) | Lobster, Shrimp |
Shellfish Safety Guidelines
Important food safety practices when handling and cooking shellfish.
Cook to proper internal temperature
Use food thermometer
Remember
When in doubt, use a food thermometer. It's the only reliable way to ensure your shellfish is safely cooked and delicious.
Keep Exploring
Other categories
Cooking guides across other food categories