HOW TO “SHUCK” PĀUA

Put them in the freezer for 1/2 - 1 hour, or leave them in the fridge for 1-2 days until they’ve gone to sleep. This also helps tenderise the meat.

Shucking (removing the meat from the shell)

1. Place the Pāua in front of you shell up, you will see air holes running down one side of the shell, follow these down to find the ‘point’ of the shell.

2. Flip the Pāua over (meat up) placing the point at your end.

3. Using both thumbs, slide your thumbs up underneath the paua about 2/3 of the way up so you are prying the foot off the shell. (The foot is a circle shape and fastens the Pāua to the shell).
   Alternative option: use the handle end of a strong steel spoon. Get hard up against the shell, push and lever the meat off.

4. But before you detach the entire foot, grab the other end of the Pāua (helps to turn sideways) and pull the meat directly back toward the point end. This will remove the gut easily for you.

5. If you accidentally detach the meat from the shell entirely, just remove the gut by pulling or cutting it off.

Remove the teeth

Yes Pāua have two teeth! They use it to eat seaweed and they’re hidden underneath the meat on the ‘foot’ side.

1. The teeth are at the gut end, where the gut attaches to the Pāua. Press your thumb in from the side and the two teeth will pop out the other.

Tenderise

Letting a Pāua ‘pass’ in the freezer or fridge will help tenderise the meat. But to get it extra tender, it needs a bit of a hammering… Literally!

1. Place in old tea towel or such.

2. With a hammer, softly pound all around, starting with the flat ‘foot’ side first. Be softer on the white side and a bit tougher on the black…but don’t be too heavy-handed or they will just split!

Now they’re ready to cook and enjoy.