They’re illegal to harvest anywhere in the US but not in the US Virgin Islands! They’re everywhere down here and I gathered a couple limits with my buddy yesterday.
Those things are a pain in the ass to get into! I’ve seen all the youtube videos but I guess I just need more practice.
So far I’ve made a simple ceviche, fried in coconut oil and raw. The Ceviche and fried were excellent but I’m interested in some other ways to prepare them. Does anyone have any favorite ways they’ve eaten conch?
A Bahmanian fisherman taught me how to clean conchs many years ago. The trick is knowing where to knock the hole in the shell to slip in the blade and cut the muscle. Then it just falls out.
I like conch fritters and cracked conch.
The whelks we have around here are legal and taste about the same.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Conch fritters!
X2 on conch fritters!!!yum
If you have a fridge with enough room , tie string to conch leg cap
and hang in fridge , shell weight will tire conch to release
shell to point you can cut 95% of conch out. If you want to keep
unbroken shell tie it in tree down wind , maggots will take care
of rest…after awhile!!!
just sayin:smiley:
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We tried that with a couple in the Bahamas, thought it might work, had them tied and hanging from the back stay of the sailboat for a week. They stretched out about 2’ long and stunk something terrible [:0] Never did come out. Haven’t tried it in the refrigerator. Wife would object, she saw them and smelled them on the sailboat:face_with_head_bandage:
Chipping hammer, knock small hole about 2 1/2 rings down from the crown, insert very thin bladed knife and slice muscle. It falls out. A Bahamian fisherman can do it 10 seconds. Takes me a few longer, but I ain’t hanging any more conch:smiley:
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
i am one of many who envy you rap
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I figured out the removal with the tiny hole and it works great! I can get it out in under 15 seconds and clean them up quick.
Rap, I’ve watched some locals in the Caribbean make it look like child’s play. Some believe they are like rhinoceros horn!
Cook it quick or slow. Had one old dude that used to put it in a pressure cooker over his fire. He used sea water and 20min on 15lbs. It left beautiful stock for what ever, he wouldn’t put anything on it but had several great sauces to put on it. He also made conch ceviche. (sp?)
I have some ceviche in the fridge right now. Even after a couple few days of the small pieces soaking in the citrus, it’s still a bit chewy. We fried some up after beating it with a hammer and it was downright delicious.
We beat the snot out of it with a wood mallet before making ceviche or frying. Makes all the difference 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Thank God!!! The snot must make them taster terrible! Lol!!
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I am a conchaholic! The best cracked conch I ever had was is San Pedro, Belize. After our meal, I sent compliments to the chef and asked if he would share his recipe. After whacking the conch with a mallet to tenderize, he dredged it in sifted flour, turmeric, a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Best conch ever, but the Conch Shack on Provo is almost as good. You can find queen conch at Publix sometimes, about 9$ per pound.
I have not found that our local whelks are that tasty, but maybe I don’t know how to prepare them. If anyone has a recipe or technique for the whelks, please share.
oc
quote:
The best cracked conch I ever had was is San Pedro, Belize.
X2 and me too 
Although I’ve had some in the Bahamas that was real close.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
We used to eat them all the time in Cuba. Our Jamaican gardener would clean and prepare them for us and he would take all the bonefish we caught.
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