Snails

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boisdevie

Forager
Feb 15, 2007
211
2
60
Not far from Calais in France
I love em and since I live in France, when in Rome etc. Today on my usual walk after a lot of rain spotted a big juicy Roman snail. Funny when you get your eye 'in' because in the next 20 mins of 20 I collected 18 of them - they are now being purged ready for eating sometime next week.
 

mitch66

Nomad
Mar 8, 2010
466
1
king's lynn norfolk
hi. how do you purge snails and for how long, how would you cook them just boil for 3 mins? and have you a photo of a roman snail. i only ask as i have found some large brown snails in the garden and thought could or would i eat then if you know what i mean. thanks for your time, carl
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
hi. how do you purge snails and for how long, how would you cook them just boil for 3 mins? and have you a photo of a roman snail. i only ask as i have found some large brown snails in the garden and thought could or would i eat then if you know what i mean. thanks for your time, carl

Leave them in a container with some bread in for 48 hours, when their poo turns bread colour, they will be OK. The big snails in the garden here were actually introduced by the Romans for culinary purposes and make great eating. Roman snails are a little larger and more uniformly brown.

Snails are great, I boil them for a couple of minutes, shell them and fry them with mushrooms and sauces. Great on french bread with a little garlic butter, or with some flavoured rice...

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_scorpio_

Need to contact Admin...
Dec 22, 2009
947
0
east sussex UK
i puked on my keyboard...
make sure you collect from non-poisoned areas.
and put the empty shells in a box and send them to me!!!
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
When in Rome and all that nonsense but it would have to be a cold day in hell before I ate snails. Frogs yes been there wore the teashirt but snails are ming!

We grew up eating them from the garden in Jockland.

Picked them, put them in a tub with some lettuce from the garden for a few days to clear them.

Boiled them and then sometimes fried them in salted butter n onion. (Garlic and Garlic bread were unheard of in the home in those days. Pasta was Spaghetti Hoops)

Have you eaten whelks, mussels or cockles?
 
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Retired Member southey

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jun 4, 2006
11,098
13
your house!
How do you control the heat on that work top?

I've never tried snails, are you saying I could just collect them(the right ones) from my garden, process and eat them?

I never knew that.cool.
 

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
i purge them in the same way as Jonathan D but i use carrots. orange poo = OK to eat
I boil them and then put them back in the shell with loads of garlic butter bake in oven fo 20 mins and nom nom nom nom with french bread and a good glass of white wine mmmmm french holidays start on saturday dads snails are going to get it :)
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
i purge them in the same way as Jonathan D but i use carrots. orange poo = OK to eat
I boil them and then put them back in the shell with loads of garlic butter bake in oven fo 20 mins and nom nom nom nom with french bread and a good glass of white wine mmmmm french holidays start on saturday dads snails are going to get it :)

Mmm, now your talking. Forgot about the carrot purging, I pop one in with the bread so they have moisture. Not tried them French style like that, may have to go collecting and give it a go this weekend.
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
That's a pan of slimey mushrooms is all...

Steamy slimey mushrooms 'n onions 'n snails...

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[/QUOTE]

Seen!!!

What a strange man...

You've either thought "I must cook some snails for that thread" or you normally take fotos of what you cook on the stove on a daily basis.

I thought the threads about "What's in your sack?" and "This is my Rig" were anorak, but this just over eggs the sauce anglaise...
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,809
1,479
Stourton,UK
What a strange man...

You've either thought "I must cook some snails for that thread" or you normally take fotos of what you cook on the stove on a daily basis.

I thought the threads about "What's in your sack?" and "This is my Rig" were anorak, but this just over eggs the sauce anglaise...

Never underestimate the absurdity of my life and picture taking fetishes.
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
Never underestimate the absurdity of my life and picture taking fetishes.

Reminds me of the old saying;

Never criticise a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes,
You'll be too far away to be heard by then,
And he'll forever wonder who stole his shoes.
 

badgeringtim

Nomad
May 26, 2008
480
0
cambridge
I was thinking about this a we while ago and wondered about the life cycle of snails and if they could be easily bred.
Not something that soundsgreat but i had soem the ither week and by gum they were nice - if a bit on the garlicy side.
boiling fora couple of minutes does sound like a lot i know they are tough if overcooked, and presumably slimy if undercooked eugh that does sound nasty.
Wonder if you could boil/steam them in white wine and garlic like mussels, oh now im hungry!
 
Have you eaten whelks, mussels or cockles?

Tried them once and that was enough! My dad used to bring cockles home all the time when we were kids I am sure he convinced us that we wouldnt like them so he could eat them all!! My garden is full of those snails they get everywhere and no I am not tempted to eat them. However I did notice they were eating some garlic that grows in my garden and it was causing them to froth at the mouth.
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
I was thinking about this a we while ago and wondered about the life cycle of snails and if they could be easily bred.
Not something that soundsgreat but i had soem the ither week and by gum they were nice - if a bit on the garlicy side.
boiling fora couple of minutes does sound like a lot i know they are tough if overcooked, and presumably slimy if undercooked eugh that does sound nasty.
Wonder if you could boil/steam them in white wine and garlic like mussels, oh now im hungry!

I'm sure you could, I don't see why not.

I think the frying after boiling is to crisp them up a bit and make them less "snaily"?

When down at Andybysea's neck of the woods most of us had fresh limpets done on a mesh over a fire - they were as tough as old boots.
 

paolo

Life Member
Dec 30, 2009
127
0
Veneto, Northeastern Italy
Wonder if you could boil/steam them in white wine and garlic like mussels, oh now im hungry!

Here in Italy after the purge the snails are cooked in many ways, usually fried with lard (or buter) carrot, garlic, parsley, onion and some rosemary, sage and laurel. Then add some white wine, let evaporate and add some broth, if needed, until ready.
When ready add salt, pepper, some good olive oil and enjoy with some toasted slices of bread...

Anyway if I can remember in France the snails are sometimes cooked in Court Bouillon, 1/2 liter of white wine in 1 liter of water in which you should add parsley, thyme, laurel, onion, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper, clove, and other spices according to taste.

If someone doesn't like the slimy they can be rubbed when taken out of the shell with raw yellow maize flour..
 
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