Can You Eat Barnacles?

Barnacles (Balanus glandula) are sticky crustaceans related to crabs and shrimp. Called “crusty foulers” by boat owners, there are over 1400 species. Barnacles will attach themselves to rocks, buoys, pilings, boats, and even other sea animals.

These pesky ocean animals secrete a fast-drying cement-like substance. It’s one of the most powerful of nature’s glues. This allows them to attach themselves to objects and makes them extremely difficult to get off.

On boats, they’ve been known to increase their weight by 60% and fuel consumption by 40%. It’s no wonder they are considered the pests of the sea. But can we eat them?

Can You Eat Barnacles?

Yes, you can. Barnacles are 100% edible, and if you love seafood, totally delicious. The best type of barnacle for munching on is the Gooseneck. Typically found growing on rocks in intertidal waterways, they are larger and have more meat than their counterparts. Some folks say they taste like crab, others say lobster or scallops. But they absolutely have that distinctive ocean taste.

So, despite their bad rap among seafarers, not only can we eat them, but they’re tasty too. In fact, in countries like Canada, Spain, and Portugal, barnacles are considered a delicacy. Due to their difficulty in harvesting, the Gooseneck barnacles are quite expensive.

Harvesting is a dangerous and complicated job. Between maneuvering the waves, weather, and rocks and determining the tidal flows, the work is difficult at best. Then imagine the scrapping that’s involved trying to get these buggers off the rocks.

In Europe they can sell for upwards of $500 for just under two pounds. Canada has barnacles on the menu at several upscale restaurants. The Nuu-Chah-Nulth, a First Nation tribe in Vancouver, has exclusive rights to harvesting. They charge around $90 a pound for the handpicked sea fruit. In Spain, the barnacles are called “percebes.” Some restaurants in the region charge up to $195 a plate.

A Delicious Mediterranean Percebes Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound of Gooseneck barnacles
• olive oil
• bay leaf
• a few chopped shallots (to your taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup of cream
• parsley
• salt

Directions

• Boil salted water with olive oil and a few bay leaves.
• Once the water is boiling, add the goose barnacles until cooked. Make sure to save the boiling water because you will need some for later.
  Once cooked, remove the tough skin from the barnacles. It’s easier to do that when it’s warm.
• Start the sauce in a saucepan with olive oil.
• Add the chopped shallots, bay leaves, and fresh pepper.
• After a minute or two, add a tablespoon of the boiling water from the goose barnacles and cook until translucent.
• add some tablespoons of cream and bring it up to a boil.
  Add some lemon juice and 2-3 lemon rinds.
• Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the leftover water from the goose barnacles *The secret is to keep a good balance between the amount of cream and the water.
• Remove the lemon rinds and add the goose barnacles to the sauce.
• Cook for 30 seconds maximum, otherwise you might overcook the percebes.
• Add some fresh parsley to the mix at the end.
• Serve warm and enjoy

What Are Some Other Ways To Prepare Barnacles?

Most barnacle recipes are fairly simple. Most seafood chefs agree the best way to prepare them is to just boil them. However, this must be done carefully and methodically to ensure the best taste.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the barnacles for about 10 minutes. Remove them and immediately put them into an ice bath. This will stop them from cooking and turning rubbery.

They may be eaten just like that or a bit of salt may be added. You can also melt some butter and mix in a little lemon for a dipping sauce. There’s no need for heavy sauces as they take away from the natural flavor.

Barnacles Beware

Under normal circumstances, barnacles are perfectly safe to eat. But in some cases, barnacles can be dangerous if consumed by humans and other sea life. This is due to the barnacles eating plastic.

Scientists who have studied barnacles from the Pacific Ocean found microplastic particles upon dissection. These plastics are not digestible and can be harmful. The good news is that Goosenecks are grown and harvested in specific waters that are free of such contamination.

Where Can I Buy Barnacles?

Unfortunately, barnacles are not readily available in the seafood department of your local grocery store. You can, however, order them online from various seafood import companies. The companies usually source them from Norway, New Zealand, China, Portugal, Spain, Chile, and Denmark.

The tasty crustaceans will be shipped the next day in dry ice. They’ll cost you around $90 to $100 a pound. If that’s too much for you, most companies do carry canned barnacles for a fraction of the price.

Are Barnacles Healthy?

These little sci-fi-looking creatures are actually full of healthy goodness. They are:

• gluten free
• 90% water
• calories: 66 per 100 grams
• protein: 15 grams
• carbohydrates : 0
• rich in vitamins B1 and B2
• loaded with iodine, selenium, and iron (which are all great for the blood)

Whales And Barnacles: Friend Or Foe?

Barnacles love attaching themselves to boats because they are moving objects. They love attaching themselves to Humpback whales for the same reason.

There’s an episode of Sponge Bob, where Pearl the whale gets a barnacle stuck on her face. Sponge Bob tries to help her get it off. He uses his spatula, a shovel, even a jackhammer. After using soap, more barnacles show up. Pearl decides to cover them up with some jewels and just live with them.

In real sea life, this is pretty much how Humpback whales deal with their barnacle tenants. Their relationship is called commensalism.

This is where one species benefits and the other is unaffected. The whale is not hurt in any way and the barnacles get a place to live and a free ride. Best of all, there’s an endless supply of food from plankton floating in the water. As the whale glides through the water, the plankton flows right through the barnacle’s filtration system.

The whale actually can benefit as well. Humpbacks can carry entire colonies on their bodies, up to a thousand pounds. Rarely, they fall prey to killer whales and large sharks. When this happens, rather than biting into soft flesh, they will get a mouth full of barnacle armor.