Classic New England Clam Chowder
Prep
30 min
Cook
60 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
- •4 oz salt pork or bacon — finely diced
- •3 tbsp unsalted butter
- •1 ea yellow onion — finely diced
- •2 ea celery — finely diced
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •2 cup clam juice — bottled or reserved from fresh steaming
- •19½ oz canned chopped clams — 3 6.5 oz cans; strained with liquid reserved (or 2 lbs fresh quahogs/cherrystones)
- •1 lb Russet potatoes — peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •1 cup whole milk
- •1 ea bay leaf — fresh or dried
- •1 ea Kosher salt — to taste
- •1 ea freshly cracked black pepper — to taste
- •1 ea fresh thyme sprigs — to taste
- •1 ea oyster crackers — for serving
Steps
- 1
Place a heavy Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the diced salt pork or bacon and cook until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp (about 6–8 minutes). Remove half of the crisp bacon with a slotted spoon to save for garnish, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- 2
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter into the rendered fat over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes (do not brown). Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- 3
Gradually whisk in the reserved clam juice (from the canned clams plus bottled clam juice to total 2 cups). Stir constantly to prevent lumps. Add the diced potatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- 4
Reduce heat to low. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and chopped clams. Gently warm the soup for 5 minutes until heated through—do not let it boil after adding the clams and dairy, or the clams will turn rubbery.
- 5
Season with kosher salt, plenty of cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Ladle into warm bowls, top with reserved crispy bacon, and serve hot alongside traditional oyster crackers.
Made by 1 person
@janzik
Ratings
Reviews
Easy to make recipe. Definitely keep extra clam juice or even veggie/chicken/seafood stock/water on standby if the celery/onions soak up too much of the liquid in the early steps. Original recipe called for 2 cups. I wound up adding another 1/2 cup.