For this article we thought it timely to share some tips for that most critical part of seafood preparation, how to tenderise pāua.
Pāua have been a treasured food source in this country since humans arrived. You can bet that the first feeds that the brave souls who first arrived here by waka had included fresh pāua.
While pāua are a top food source, tasty, high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals, they are notoriously tough textured.
Elsdon Best records that Maori had a very effective tenderising technique; “ The paua is a shell-fish of marvellous toughness, hence natives often buried them in the earth until that quality became modified. When using as food they would present the appearance of a compact mass that might be cut as cheese is.”
This approach is not uncommon around the world, in Iceland and on the Faroes for example it’s still best practice to bury shark meat in sand for a while to render it more palatable. There it is referred to as “fermented”.
You could try that approach. But there are quicker other ways to make your catch more palatable for eating
Firstly, always treat your shellfish carefully when catching and taking home. Try not to stress them, the more relaxed they are the better the result. Once caught don’t leave them in the sun or wind – keep them cool and moist by covering with a wet hessian sack or seaweed.
Most recipes benefit if the pāua is tenderised. Even if mincing the meat, you get a more palatable and popular result if tenderised first.
Try these ideas;
1) The natural bash method – As soon as you are out the water shuck out the meat with your paua tool or thumb and clean sand and grit off with a scrubbing brush. Then pick a suitably shaped heavy rock. Put the pāua into a clean cloth/ sack or catch bag and rest on a flat boulder. Use your chosen rock as a hammer and bash the pāua hard a couple of times in the middle of the foot. Then softer blows around the outside. You should feel the meat relax and it will become soft to the touch. Wash in salt water. Job done.– do not throw shell and offal back to shellfish beds, it will attract pāua predators to your diving spot. Ideally you would leave them in the fridge for 24 hours to let them relax further. You can then cook or freeze them. If freezing they will be tender when you thaw them.
Importantly, be aware that fisheries rules require pāua to be landed in a measurable state, which means being in the shell (unshucked) above the high water mark. To avoid issues it pays to keep the shucked shells so they can be checked if you are processing immediately after your dive
2) Parboil – At the beach, or at home have a big pot of salty water heated to around 65-70O, just too hot to put your hand in. A good version is to use water you just cooked the crays in. Then simply drop the whole pāua in and leave for about 2 minutes, a few at a time. Alternatively place 2 or three in a bowl at a time and simply pour boiling water from the jug directly to submerge them.
Then remove from water and when cool enough shuck out with your thumb. After parboiling pāua are far easier to shuck. The fish will be tender, and the roe and skirt firm enough to tear away whole.
3) Brute force in the kitchen – Get the pāua home and shuck and clean. Then wrap in a clean cloth that is not a valued heirloom tea towel (though according to Crimpy high thread count Egyptian cotton is best!) and lay on a firm hard base. Like the chopping block. Then using a rubber or steel hammer thump it on the underside fairly hard in the middle, then around the outer edge. Flip it adductor muscle up and repeat, but a little more softly.
When done properly the muscle relaxes and it feels soft to the touch. Don’t worry if the meat splits, it might not look great but it will taste fine and if you are slicing or mincing it won’t be seen.
4) Freeze and bash – Shuck, clean and then vacuum pack in a single layer and stick in freezer till needed. When you need a feed thaw out and, leaving the meat inside the plastic vacuum pack, hammer with your trusty pāua tenderising device. This method, while not as good as points 1 ,2 & 3 above, has the advantage of being mess free as you simply remove the meat and bin the bag.
On vacuum packing. Buying a small domestic vacuum packer would be one of the best investments you ever make. Simply essential to maintain quality of fish or game, but especially shellfish, when freezing.
5) Finally for this article another customary practice to try. Elsdon Best also records that ;
“Paua were placed in fresh water and allowed to remain therein for several days before being eaten, and that the place used for the purpose was referred to as “wai paua”.”
This is probably a low stress way as the paua simply “close down “ in cold fresh water, it is after all one of the ways suggested to humanely kill rock lobster. But do make sure the creek you pick is a clean one.
With your catch now suitably tender don’t overcook. That will toughen meat. Treat it as you would a medium rare steak just sear it whole for a couple of minutes each side, then if you want slice it thinly once cooked. In these times of looking for new ways to use the whole fish, rescue the skirt part of the paua , this makes really good minced patties, sausages or creamed paua . And try the hua/roe. Simply fry in butter with seasonings. It can taste bit like asparagus, rich but tasty and is an under rated treat.
Editors note – If you have any favourite tried and true methods for tenderising pāua catch please send them in to the editor, Fishing Paper and Hunting News and we can share them with our readers.
Bon Appetite !
