Hello Ugo, your request came in right on time as I was about to go prepare some snails when I saw your mail. Yes, there is a very simple method of shelling your large snails without getting the kitchen messy. There is no need to crush the shells with a hammer cos that is a lot of work cleaning the broken pieces from your snails.
Some readers saw our crunchy peppered snail recipe and wanted a step by step snail preparation procedure but then, for no reason, I just couldn't remember the camera when I cooked snails. Sometimes I let the sellers clean my snails but not when a particular seller washes with alum. Snails washed with alum do not really taste natural to me. Thankfully this seller doesn't wash with limes so, the snails were brought home whole.
Cleaning your snails at home is the best. That same bowl of alum water is what snail traders use to wash all snails bought in a day, that's from morning till night. They won't even leave that thick dirty water where buyers can peep, it's either under the table or a bit further where you can't see clearly.
Items For Easy Snail Cleaning: A cleaver or machete A table knife,Limes Will complete this shortly please...
With a butcher's knife or machete or even a hammer, chop off the pointed tip of the snail to create an opening for your butter knife or whatever you'll use to turn and squeeze out the snail.
These are all empty shells, the snails have been removed without crushing or boiling them live. no messy slimy floors after cleaning
After chipping off, insert a table knife in the part you chopped and continue to push while turning your hand like you do with a key
Once the inserted table knife is turned inwards, snail pops out like here, some snails fall out completely, you remove the knife and push out the snail
Cut and squeeze limes into the snails, lemon can also be used but it doesn't clean as much as these limes.
Yeah, don't worry about that, always appears when I take sugary drinks and disappears when I successfully stay off: Allergy :)
With your fingers, pull out the entrails, the black and white stuff
Cut off unwanted stuff while cleaning
Cut washed snails in halves like this picture
This pic should have come earlier, after removing snails from the shells, with your fingers, feel for tiny shell stuck on the white part and carefullycut that little shell off with a knife cos you don't want some shell in your food
Empty snail shells to be disposed
Today I was ready to show myself in my kitchen and then imagine, my girl fondles with the camera and some part became dark. Not my fault sha.
Snails are further cut into tiny pieces cos I want to add them to soup
Rinsed snails ready to be plunged in a pot of boiling salted water
Immediately add snails to boiling water, you don't want no slime or freeze if they are not being used
Snails in boiling water
Colour changes when snails are cooked. Do not over cook please
Boiled snails waiting for the right time to enter the hot pot.
Not many people know how to cook or eat snails but they are actually the best, you can eat daily without feeling of guilt. If you are cutting down on red meat, apart from chicken and fish snails are a very nutritious form of protein. Some people call them congo meat or white meat.
Enjoy as a snack or with your meal of choice. I love them invegetable and okro soups. Have you tried crunchy snails in tomato stew? I hear they are delicious but haven't tried, yet.
Have fun crunching!
©Wives Connection