Abalone Meat Preparation

----------	It is strongly recommended that the meat be removed from the shell the day the abalone are delivered.	----------
	For live abalone: Your live farm raised abalone will arrive in a foam box. The abalone will be in a sealed plastic bag. Do not open this bag until you are ready to remove the abalone meat from th e shell. The atmosphere inside this bag has been modified to benefit the abalone during shipping. The abalone meat should be removed from the shell while the abalone is alive. After the meat has been removed from the shell the meat will stay fresh for about 4-5 days in the refrigerator. For Fresh Frozen Abalone: If the abalone are purchased as frozen prepared abalone steaks skip to number 4 after the abalone have been defrosted. For the Frozen Abalone:  If the abalone are purchased as frozen prepared abalone steaks they should be defrosted in the refrigerator or in room temperature water for about 10 minutes.  Do not use hot water to defrost.  After the abalone have been defrosted open the bag and wash off the meat with freshwater.  The abalone are ready to be cooked.  If you want some ideas for cooking the abalone please see our recipes section.  If the frozen abalone meat is to be used as sushi or in soups it is recommended that the frozen abalone meat should be specially ordered without being tenderized.
	1) Removing the abalone foot (meat) from the shell Remove the abalone from the bag and lay them on the foam pad in the sink. Wipe off any pieces of seaweed on the bottom of the foot of the abalone. Place the abalone, shell down, in the palm of your left hand, with the head facing towards you. (The head is the end of the shell with the holes) You may want to place a cloth or paper towel in your hand to prevent any scraping by the shell..
	2) Slicing off the radula of the abalone The radula of the abalone is hard and should be removed. Slice off the radula (at the front end) by cutting down at an angle beginning from the round column-shaped part of the foot towards the front. Discard the radula. If medium or large sized abalone are purchased they need to be sliced horizontally into 2 or 3 pieces prior to frying, because the meat is too thick.
	3) Rinse the abalone and place in a bowl. Cover the abalone with a wet cloth and cover the bowl. Keep the abalone in the refrigerator. The abalone meat will tighten and become very firm when removed from the shell. It will relax naturally if left in a cool, moist environment (refrigerator) for at least 12 hours. The viscera can be easily scraped from the shell and discarded. The shell can be cleaned by boiling it or soaking it in water with a little bleach. After cleaning and rinsing, dry the shell. Coat the outside of the shell with a light, clear oil (mineral oil) to return the outside to its natural look. The shell can be used in the presentation of the abalone when served. Place the shell on the plate with a lemon wedge, parsley, or other garnish inside.
	4) Tenderizing the abalone meat Note: This step may not be necessary if the abalone are to be enjoyed raw. Remove the abalone from the refrigerated bowl and rinse. Place the abalone on a cutting board. Tenderize the abalone with gentle strokes from a mallet or other meat tenderizer until the meat is flexible. Tenderize the top (side that attaches to the shell) first. Then flip and repeat. Excessive tenderization will split or crush the meat. We have found over the years that abalone tenderized with a mallet that has small tines works best for easily tenderizing the meat. US Abalone will gladly ship a tenderizing mallet like the one pictured above for an additional $20 fee.
	Unlike the older wild-caught abalone, the darker pigmented sides of the abalone does not need to be removed. The pigmented sides will have the same taste and tenderness as the rest of the meat.