Conch Meat – An Irresistible Staple in Belize Recipes!
Conch season in Belize officially opened last week October 1st and goes through until June 30th, 2016 or until the national catch quota, about one million pounds, is realized. Of course we couldn’t wait to share with you some Belize Recipes to try out with this delicious Belizean favorite!
Dates and quotas are set into place to prevent overfishing of the Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) Species.
Conch, pronounced CONK, is a staple meat source here in Belize and several other countries in the Caribbean where it is also harvested and exported.
Conch fritters, Conch soup or chowder, conch steak and conch ceviche are the most popular dishes in Belizean cuisine prepared with this sweet calm-like flavour white meat. It is normally marinated in lime or pounded thin and lightly sautéed for that soft and tender taste.
Conch Soup or Chowder
Conch Fritters (Grab the recipe HERE)
Conch Ceviche
Belizean Conch Ceviche Recipe
Belizean Conch Ceviche Ingredients
- 1 lb. conch
- 2 cucumbers
- 2 large ripe red tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 10 limes
- 1 habanero pepper ( omit if you don’t enjoy spicy food)
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- Salt, ground black pepper and season all seasoning to taste
Belizean Conch Ceviche Preparation
- Clean and cut conch into cubes
- Squeeze lime juice over the conch in a bowl. Place in refrigerator for an hour
- Cube tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and bell peppers and place in a bowl
- After conch has marinated for an hour, mix in all vegetables together with the conch
- Add more lime juice and habanero pepper if desired
- Lastly, add salt, black pepper and season all seasoning to taste
- Mix well
- Enjoy with fresh fried corn tortilla chips
Conch Steaks or Stew Conch
About The Conch Shell
The hard shell of the conch is used to make colourful souvenirs, decorations, jewellery and even tableware.
You will find these shiny pearl-pink pieces crafted by local artisan in most gift shops or being sold by local vendors along the beaches of Belize.
Next time you are in the country during the conch season don’t forget to try the iconic conch meat in any of the various tasty Belizean dishes. Enjoy! 🙂