The geoduck is undoubtedly a focal point everywhere it travels. It is enormous, strange, elephantine, and almost offensive.
Diners appreciate it as a special, expensive treat. A big burrowing saltwater clam known as a geoduck, or “gooey duck,” has delicate, sweet meat and a crisp texture that makes it ideal for raw dishes like crudo or sashimi. Hotpot is also well-liked in Asia. Just bear in mind that geoduck will get tougher when cooked, so all it need is a quick blanch.
Geoduck cultivation has increased dramatically in Washington and British Columbia because to its high market value (around $100-150/lb in China). The strong demand and limited availability for geoduck are reflected in the price. While an adult geoduck has few predators except humans and can live for over 100 years, it takes 6 years to bring a geoduck to market size, and the mortality rate for juvenile geoducks is fairly high.
How to raise ducks
Taylor Shellfish created a nursery for geoducks that includes hard-packed sand for burrowing, much like the FLUPSY for oysters and clams. The geoducks can grow and be frequently observed when these racks are dropped into nutrient-rich water.
The racks were being cleaned today. When you look closely at one, you can see that there are many other sea animals in the rack in addition to geoducks, including predators like starfish. With a tiny syphon and a thin shell the size of your fingernail, the geoduck is currently approximately the size of a quarter.
The geoducks are put on the beach once they are taken out of the nursery, where they will spend the following few years developing into market-size creatures (1.5-2 lbs). Three to four geoducks are placed inside each PVC pipe, which is buried in the sand to provide them with protection. The pipes are then protected from predators by netting. The pipes and netting will be taken down after one or two years. Only one geoduck will typically reach adulthood.
Harvest:
It’s a messy process when it’s time to collect geoducks. Geoduck digging was portrayed as being so dirty in a Dirty Jobs episode. You need to dig a pit to stand in since the geoduck is underground. To prevent the walls of the pit from crumbling, individuals will occasionally use walls or tubes.
Next, search for tiny holes in the earth, which can be a sign that a geoduck is hidden beneath. As filter feeders, geoducks draw plankton in through one tube and excrete waste through a different tube. There is a considerable likelihood that a geoduck has been squirting water from a circular indentation in the sand if you notice one.
Aim a water hose diagonally in the direction of the syphon hole, which is two or three feet below the surface. In essence, you’re attempting to squirt water toward the geoduck’s body to dislodge the sand just enough for you to lift the shell to the surface. Long arms are undoubtedly advantageous. Avoid pulling on the syphon directly to prevent it from breaking off.
Geoducks can be easily and rapidly pulled up by skilled diggers without making a big mess. While working, you might even start singing “The Geoduck Song.” The syphon was cut into little pieces, which they distributed. Geoduck served raw on the seashore is hard to surpass for its crisp, sweet, and briny flavours.
Therefore, if you ever get the chance to “dig a duck,” dive in the muck and have fun hunting!
