Cleaning Canned Abalone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Canned abalone is a great way to enjoy this delicacy without the hassle of cleaning and preparing it. But if you want to get the most out of your canned abalone, it's important to know how to clean it properly. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to clean canned abalone. First, use a wooden spoon or spatula to carefully remove the abalone from its shell. Then, cut and discard the dark sack of viscera and the rubbery edge around the edge of the abalone.

Next, rub the rest of the abalone to clean it, or cut off any gross black material around the edges. After that, put the abalone under cold running water and use a small disinfected brush to rub aggressively and remove as much black coating as possible. For small abalone, this is mainly for aesthetic reasons, so don't worry if there are some unruly sections that refuse to move. With a small clean scrubbing brush or clean scouring pad, rub the mucus from the skirt (black or green stripe) for a more attractive appearance. If you're using frozen abalone, they may already be gutted but not clean on the outside. To clean them, heat some canola oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

You can strike as is or place a slice of abalone between two pieces of plastic wrap; plastic greatly reduces the mess that abalone produces and helps protect the abalone slice from tearing or shredding as it hits it. Abalone canned with brine (salt & water) is lighter and is good to use it to create dishes such as stir-fry or soups. You can remove it before slicing it by carefully cutting it without removing any of the meat, or you can cut the abalone first and then cut the hard skin off each piece. Before you start slicing and softening, make sure that the abalone is fresh, whole, removed from the peel and clean. To do this, you can rub it with vinegar instead of letting it soak. Abalone can be eaten both raw and cooked and is an excellent addition to any sophisticated menu for seafood lovers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating canned abalone this way: fishermen already cook (steam) the abalone before sealing it in the can.

Let cool, then, with a spoonful, remove each abalone from its shell, cut the liver and skirt with ruffles and clean. The quantity is limited each year because it is preserved only with the best wild abalone from Baja California, Mexico. If you did not trim the outer skin of the abalone while cleaning it, you should remove those swirling lips now; cut them off and discard them. Abalone can be found on some of the menus of the best restaurants in the world, including Dan Hunter's Brae Restaurant in Australia where he serves black-lipped abalone in a clear broth with squid, broccoli and blue mackerel, while Italian chef Umberto Bombana has served carpaccio of New Zealand red abalone, candied for almost two days and in very thin slices and Korean chef Jungsik Yim included braised abalone with seaweed and anchovy dressing on his tasting menu at an event in Singapore recently.