Classic New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• •
  4 oz salt pork or bacon

  finely diced

• •
  3 tbsp unsalted butter
• •
  1 ea yellow onion

  finely diced

• •
  2 ea celery

  finely diced

• •
  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• •
  2-2.5 cup clam juice

  bottled or reserved from fresh steaming

• •
  19.5 oz canned chopped clams

  3 6.5 oz cans; strained with liquid reserved (or 2 lbs fresh quahogs/cherrystones)

• •
  1 1/2 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