Extracting and Cleaning Raw Conch Meat

With a hammer, tap a hole in the third spiral down from the top of the shell. Insert a thin knife, angled towards the top, and cut the muscle that attaches the meat to the shell. Pull out the meat by grasping the hard lip attached to the claw-shaped “foot”; discard the operculum (lid) from the foot. Cut away the soft intestines and eyes, then peel the skin from the meat with your fingers. Cut the meat in ½ in/1.25 cm slices across the grain and pound the slices for 30-60 seconds with a mallet to tenderize. Alternatively, slit the meat lengthwise and pound it flat.