Finding food on the beach

BogMonkey

I live right by the beach and theres a big stretch of rocky beach that people rarely walk down (since its tricky walking on the rocks). I've seen the odd person picking perriwinkles there, I don't know whether they sell them or what but I want to become more self sufficient so I want to pick food along the beach. On top of perriwinkles, what kind of edible things can you find on the beaches in Ireland?

I see barnacles stuck to rocks and from what I read, they are edible. There are plenty of little pools in between rocks where you can find crabs. I don't know if all crabs are edible or what. From watching Bear Grylls, I think crabs need to be cooked well because they generally contain parasites. Are any of you here experienced at finding food on the beach?

mawk

limpets are the easiest to catch and are pretty meaty. dont overcook them though or they are very tough.

BogMonkey

mawk wrote: »

limpets are the easiest to catch and are pretty meaty. dont overcook them though or they are very tough.

First time I hear of limpets, thanks a lot. Just googled them, I've seen these things plenty of times.

Midnight Oil

It really depends on the beach you live near and the topography of it. On a rocky shore line you would find muscles on the rocks as well as the likes of shrimps and prawns in the rock pools. As well as the likes of seaweeds like kelp etc

Sandy shores would offer the likes of cockles and clams.

Fishing over this beach would offer countless other possibilities:
Rocky: pollock, codling, wrasse, bass etc
Sandy: bass, founder, plaice, dabs, ray, codling, whiting, coalfish

Doc Ruby

Most seaweeds are edible, but some will give you a mouthful of sulfuric acid instead so you should know what you're doing there. Mussels are delicious, but you need to steep them overnight in a bucket of (preferably sea) water so they can spit out all the sand, bonus points if you can elevate them on a grille inside the bucket so they don't swallow each others' sand. When done just drop them into a pot and let them cook in their own juices, with a dash of butter and garlic its a little slice of heaven.

Cockles are good to eat raw if you get them away from pollution sources, I usually have a tasty feed of them when I'm wandering out west, limpets as already mentioned are technically edible, better for you in fact since they are browsers rather than filter feeders, but tough as leather if you cook them too much.

Really there's not much on the beach you can't eat, except green plants and the like. Earlier this year I cooked up an impromptu seafood stew with a couple of wild garlic bulbs crushed in, you'll never get that flavour in a restaurant. If you aren't sport fishing though make sure to bait your traps, I've seen people casting for days on end without a nibble.

Hibrion

Be wary of where you collect filter feeders, like mussels: if they are near a source of pollution it's not advisable to eat them.

Limpets are definitely the safest and easiest meal to find on Irish beaches. They also make a reasonable bait for fish if you find yourself short.

Have a look at this Ray Mears clip (at about 2.40 mark) where he cooks some shellfish:

Rhinocharge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N_8ysqBpvo

Razor clam are easy pickings, so easy the kids can do it.
All you need is salt, a bottle of sea water, a bucket and some luck.
Low tide is the best time to search & near the waters edge.
You can steam them, quick fry them or even eat them raw.

Loads of things to forage on a beach, there are several good books you can get on it (I would recommend a particular one, but starting to sound like the guy's agent on other threads!)

Beach foraging ALWAYS fun, but the most I had was about two years ago, myself and the brother-in-law borrowed his cousins home-made shrimp net (they're from Inishowen), and combed the beach for shrimp.

Caught loads, and one or two other things - baby crabs, starfish etc.

All in all, a great day out.

Regards,
Druss.

Blog:
www.huntforageharvest.com

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/druss_rua

Please "Like" my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/HuntForageHarvest

bonniebede

Deleted User wrote: »

Loads of things to forage on a beach, there are several good books you can get on it (I would recommend a particular one, but starting to sound like the guy's agent on other threads!)

Beach foraging ALWAYS fun, but the most I had was about two years ago, myself and the brother-in-law borrowed his cousins home-made shrimp net (they're from Inishowen), and combed the beach for shrimp.

Caught loads, and one or two other things - baby crabs, starfish etc.

All in all, a great day out.

Regards,
Druss.

Blog:
www.huntforageharvest.com

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/druss_rua

Please "Like" my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/HuntForageHarvest[/QUOTE]

Book recommendation please??

bonniebede

bonniebede wrote: »

Book recommendation please??

Okay, it's "Edible Seashore" by John Wright (River Cottage handbook). It's informative, witty, and just a good book to read, even if you're not intending to go foraging along the coast!