Clam Chowder

Name: Clam Chowder
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.5 kg fresh littleneck or quahog clams in shells (or 2 × 200 g cans whole baby clams in juice as substitute for landlocked cooks); 500 ml fresh clam juice or fish stock (reserve all the steaming liquid if using fresh clams); 150 g thick-cut smoked bacon, diced 0.5 cm; 1 large yellow onion (~250 g), finely diced; 2 medium celery stalks (~120 g), finely diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced (optional — Boston purists frown but most modern recipes include); 30 g unsalted butter; 30 g all-purpose flour (for the roux); 750 g floury potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes; 250 ml whole milk; 250 ml heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version); 2 bay leaves + 1 tsp dried thyme + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp salt (taste first — clam juice is salty); A pinch of cayenne or 1 dash hot sauce (optional); 1 small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped, and 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish; To serve: 4 small hollowed-out sourdough rolls as edible bread bowls OR oyster crackers (a traditional New England side); 1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Clam chowder is the emblematic soup of New England — a creamy, thick chowder with fresh clams, potatoes, smoked bacon, and onion, enriched with milk and cream. There is a centuries-old culinary war: New England Clam Chowder (white, with cream) versus Manhattan Clam Chowder (red, with tomatoes), and Bostonians consider the tomato version nearly an offense. Clam chowder is traditionally served in a hollowed-out sourdough bread bowl — an edible bowl that absorbs the soup. It is Boston's harbor food, present at every restaurant along the coast.

Total time40m

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

🍲

One-pot

Minimal washing up

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

1.5 kg fresh littleneck or quahog clams in shells (or 2 × 200 g cans whole baby clams in juice as substitute for landlocked cooks)
500 ml fresh clam juice or fish stock (reserve all the steaming liquid if using fresh clams)
150 g thick-cut smoked bacon, diced 0.5 cm
1 large yellow onion (~250 g), finely diced
2 medium celery stalks (~120 g), finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced (optional — Boston purists frown but most modern recipes include)
30 g unsalted butter
30 g all-purpose flour (for the roux)
750 g floury potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet), peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
250 ml whole milk
250 ml heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
2 bay leaves + 1 tsp dried thyme + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
0.5 tsp salt (taste first — clam juice is salty)
A pinch of cayenne or 1 dash hot sauce (optional)
1 small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped, and 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley to garnish
To serve: 4 small hollowed-out sourdough rolls as edible bread bowls OR oyster crackers (a traditional New England side); 1 lemon, sliced into wedges

How to make it

1Rinse 1.5 kg fresh clams in cold water 2-3 times to remove sand and discard any that are open and do not close when tapped, then place them in a wide pot with 250 ml water, cover and steam over high heat for 4-5 minutes until the shells just open, discarding any that stayed shut.
2Lift the clams out and strain the steaming liquid through a fine sieve lined with damp cheesecloth into a measuring cup, aiming for ~400-500 ml of clean clam broth, then pick the clam meat from the shells, roughly chop it, and set aside (if using canned clams, drain them reserving the juice and use the 500 ml fish stock plus the canned juice).
3In a heavy 5 L pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 150 g diced bacon and cook stirring often for 6-8 minutes until the bacon is deeply browned and most of the fat has rendered, then lift the crispy bacon onto a paper towel and set aside for garnish, leaving 3 tbsp of bacon fat in the pot.
4Add 250 g diced onion and 120 g diced celery to the bacon fat with a pinch of salt and cook stirring often for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned (chowder is white, so you do not want colour here), then add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.
5Add 30 g butter and let it melt, then sprinkle 30 g flour over the vegetables and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, cooking out the raw flour taste without letting it darken to keep a white roux.
6Pour in the strained clam broth in a slow steady stream while whisking constantly to prevent lumps, add 750 g potato cubes, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp thyme, and 0.5 tsp black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 15-18 minutes stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender but still hold their shape and a knife slides in with no resistance.
7Lower the heat to its lowest setting and stir in 250 ml whole milk and 250 ml heavy cream, taking care not to let it boil after adding dairy or the cream will curdle, then warm through for 3 minutes before stirring in the chopped clam meat and most of the bacon (saving 2 tbsp of bacon and all the chives for garnish), and simmer 3 more minutes until the clams are just heated through (overcooking turns them tough and rubbery), then remove the bay leaves and taste, adjusting seasoning with salt and a pinch of cayenne if you like.
8Hollow out 4 small sourdough rolls (or use oyster crackers as a traditional simpler option), ladle the hot chowder into the bread bowls or deep soup plates, top each with the reserved crispy bacon, a generous scatter of chives and parsley, and a fresh twist of black pepper, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side, just as a New England restaurant typically brings a small dish of oyster crackers and a side of hot sauce to the table.