How to deal with snails quickly and cleanly

The fastest and cleanest method for treating snails is to first let them rest and spit sand before brushing the shell. The key steps include soaking in salt water, trimming the tail, and high-temperature cooking.

After purchasing the snail, it is necessary to add salt and a few drops of cooking oil to a water basin and let it sit for half a day to allow the snail to fully spit out sand. The appropriate concentration of salt water is to taste a clear salty taste, and edible oil can form a water surface barrier to promote snail hypoxia and sand flushing. Change the water every two hours during this period, and observe that the water quality is no longer turbid, indicating that the sand spit is complete. The outer shell needs to be brushed one by one with a hard bristled brush, focusing on cleaning algae and parasites in the threaded gaps. Cutting off the tip of the tail can help with subsequent odor absorption and thoroughly remove visceral residues. Processed snails should be blanched in boiling water for three minutes, and any foam on the water surface should be promptly skimmed off. This step can kill most of the parasite eggs and further clean the snail meat. In special circumstances, if the shell is found to be damaged or the snail meat has black hair and a foul smell, it should be immediately discarded. Wild snails may carry parasites such as liver flukes, and the blanching time should be extended to at least five minutes. Pre packaged snails that have already been spit out on the market still need to undergo repeated brushing steps, which may result in new contaminants adhering during transportation. Some people who are sensitive to fishy smell can use ginger slices or cooking wine to marinate for half an hour to remove fishy smell, but strong acid and alkali cleaning agents should not be used for treatment.

It is recommended to choose fresh and intact snails, as individuals that can quickly close when touched are fresher. Before cooking, dip in garlic vinegar juice to taste and confirm that there is no earthy smell. It is safer to discard the digestive glands on the head when consuming. Untreated snails should be stored in breathable containers and covered with a damp cloth for refrigeration for no more than two days. Repeated sandblasting can reduce the freshness of the snail meat. People with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should control their consumption and use warm ingredients such as perilla and ginger to neutralize the coldness.