New England Clam Chowder (Printer-friendly)

Rich, creamy soup featuring tender clams, potatoes, and smoky bacon in a velvety broth

# Ingredient List:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 pounds fresh clams such as littlenecks, scrubbed, or 2 cups canned chopped clams with juice

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced, approximately 2 cups
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Dairy

07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Broth and Liquids

10 - 2 cups bottled clam juice or reserved juice from canned clams
11 - 1 cup water

→ Pork

12 - 4 ounces salt pork or thick-cut bacon, diced

→ Seasonings

13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Thickener

16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

# How-To Steps:

01 - If using fresh clams, scrub them thoroughly under cold water. In a large pot, combine clams with 1 cup water. Cover and steam over medium heat until shells open, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove clams from the pot, strain and reserve cooking liquid, then chop clam meat and set aside.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook diced salt pork or bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and meat is crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pot.
03 - Add butter to the pot with the rendered fat. Sauté diced onion and celery until softened but not browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture. Stir constantly and cook for 2 minutes to create a roux, which will thicken the chowder.
05 - Slowly whisk in clam juice, including reserved liquid from the fresh clams if applicable. Add milk and cream while stirring to ensure no lumps form in the broth.
06 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and dried thyme to the pot. Simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
07 - Add chopped clams or canned clams with juice along with the cooked bacon or salt pork to the pot. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding clams, as this can toughen them.
08 - Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Stir in fresh chopped parsley. Taste the chowder and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your preference.
09 - Ladle hot chowder into bowls. Serve immediately with oyster crackers or crusty bread on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This chowder achieves that perfect balance between briny ocean flavor and creamy comfort that even my seafood-skeptical friends request seconds.
  • The recipe is surprisingly forgiving and welcomes substitutions, which saved me during a snowstorm when I had to use canned clams and still earned praise from my New England-born neighbor.
02 -
  • Never let the chowder boil after adding the clams or they'll transform from tender morsels to rubbery disappointments faster than you can say New England.
  • The soup always tastes better the next day, but the potatoes will continue absorbing liquid overnight, so keep extra milk or cream on hand to adjust consistency when reheating.
03 -
  • Save some of the crispy salt pork or bacon bits as a garnish rather than adding them all back to the pot, creating textural contrast against the creamy background.
  • Add the garlic after the onions and celery have softened, cooking it for just one minute before adding flour, preserving its aromatic qualities without risking bitterness from browning.
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