I was first introduced to the wonders of conch meat back in 2006, through an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”. While visiting South Florida, the celebrity chef and renowned gourmand sampled conch two ways: As part of a chowder served alongside grilled snapper, as well as in finely ground conch meat fritters seasoned with a liberal dosing of pepper.
Funny enough, it was also in this episode where I learned that I had been mispronouncing the name of this shellfish for quite a long time — there is no “ch” sound, so save yourself my embarrassment and pronounce it “konk” right from the start.
Though it would be another two years before I finally got to sink my teeth into a conch dish of my own, the impression that episode left on me held true: Conch is a strange and wonderful thing, and everybody should try it at least once. Eaten raw or cooked, in soup or salad, or as a popular fried treat, I can highly recommend taking the leap of faith required to experiment with serving conch meat on your dinner table.
That’s why I’ve decided to put together this brief guide on conch meat, complete with notes on the flavor of conch meat, recipes and pointers for how to cook it, and a list of places where you can order conch meat online.
Are you ready to dive in and get to know all about this tasty relative of the snail family? Then let’s get started!
What Does Conch Meat Taste Like?
Native to the Bahamas, conch meat is the second most popular snail meat in the world, right behind the French dinner table staple of escargot. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of simple escargot in butter, however, conch meat offers a very different flavor experience.
To get an insight into the flavor of conch meat, consider the taste of other shellfish that you’ve tried. Clams, oysters, crabs, and lobster are all reminiscent of one another, and conch very much fits into this same flavor family.
Brandon Springer, in an article for Smithsonian Magazine, recounts the first description that a waiter gave him of the flavor of conch meat:
“well I don’t know. They don’t really taste like anything. They’re just kinda rubbery and taste like seafood. But I like them!
Even if that sounds unflattering at first, Mr. Springer’s waiter was being entirely honest! With a texture that’s developed over years of powerful muscular movement, conch can take some getting used to. Properly seasoned and prepared, however, it becomes an amazing vehicle for other flavors.
Pinning down an exact flavor for conch meat is complicated by the fact that around 60 varieties of sea snails that are collectively referred to as “conch”. Of these 60+ species, a good portion are endangered. So if you live in the United States, don’t try to catch wild conch — it’s against the law.
The most popular (and readily available) type of conch, the “Queen Conch”, is still relatively abundant in the waters of the Caribbean and South America. It’s a large and meaty crustacean with a mild and sweet, clam-like flavor and dense, chewy texture.
How to Cook Conch Meat
Left to their own devices these massive sea snails can live for up to 40 years, giving them plenty of time to develop powerful musculature. Like any wild game left to exercise at will, this means that conch meat can be exceptionally tough; in order to fully enjoy its subtly sweet and salty flavor, you’ll need to either marinate it in lemon juice, pound it, or process it in a meat grinder.
Let’s take a look at a versions of my favorite recipes for conch meat: Conch Stew.
Conch Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound conch meat, thawed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 large potatoes, cubed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- Salt and chili powder, to taste
- 6 cups water or vegetable stock
Directions
- In a medium pot, bring the conch to a low boil for 20-30 minutes to help tenderize it. Discard water when finished.
- Make a roux: In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat and slowly add the flour, stirring constantly for 5 to 8 minutes (you’ll know your roux is ready when it smells like freshly toasted bread). Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, sweat for 5 minutes, then add the potatoes and tomatoes to cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add conch, salt, chili powder, and mixed herbs to the contents of the large pot. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add water or stock, and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and slowly stir in the roux that was set aside in step 2; the stew will thicken as you stir.
Serve with ketchup and lime juice, and each person can season the stew to their particular tastes.
Where to Buy Conch Meat
Even though finding fresh conch meat in the United States is nearly impossible, a number of US-based retailers offer these exotic sea snails at reasonable prices. Take note, though, that because of the delicate nature of wild-caught seafood you can expect any product offered online to arrive frozen.
Key Largo Fisheries is an excellent source not just for tenderized meat or whole conch steaks, but also for pre-made conch chowder or conch fritter mix. They seem to offer the best bang for the buck on conch meat, with steaks selling for under $20 a pound.
Wild-caught, certified Bahamian conch meat is held in especially high regard — and if you’re willing to buy five pounds at a time, Carolina Meat and Fish Co. offers an exceptionally high quality product. While a little pricier than the previous retailer, this conch is truer to the authentic flavors of Caribbean soups, stews, and fritters.