New England Clam Chowder Recipe
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What constitutes a true New England clam chowder is a matter of much debate. While some argue that chowder needs to be thick and creamy, others call for cream to be served alongside the clear broth and added to your liking. We’ve taken the middle ground with this recipe and created a chowder with just enough creaminess to coat the back of a spoon.
Game plan: While preparing the vegetables for the soup, make sure to save all the peelings and scraps (except the potato skins) to steam with the clams.
- 2 1/2 pounds small hard-shell clams, such as Manila
- 1 medium yellow onion, small dice, peel and scraps reserved
- 1 medium celery stalk, small dice, peel and scraps reserved
- 1 medium carrot, small dice, peel and scraps reserved
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 ounces smoked bacon, small dice (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 medium red potatoes, medium dice, reserved in cold water
- 1 cup bottled clam juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 medium bay leaf
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced
- Rinse clams under running water, discarding any that are open or have broken shells. Combine peels and scraps of onion, celery, and carrot with clams in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid. Add 1/2 cup of the water, cover the pot, and cook over high heat until most of the clams have opened, about 10 minutes.
- Drain clams in a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer set over a large bowl, reserving the liquid. When the clams are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and reserve it, discarding any clams that did not fully open. Discard the clam shells and vegetable peels and coarsely chop the clam meat (you should have about 1 cup). Measure the reserved clam cooking liquid; you should have about 2 cups. If you have less, add enough water to equal 2 cups. Set aside.
- Rinse out the Dutch oven or large pot, dry it, and return it to the stove over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is beginning to crisp, about 6 minutes. Add diced onion, celery, and carrot and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until just soft, about 2 minutes more.
- Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is no longer raw tasting, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in wine and cook until mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Drain reserved potatoes and add to mixture. Add reserved clam cooking liquid, bottled clam juice, thyme, bay leaf, chopped clam meat, and remaining 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
- Stir in cream and parsley, adding additional salt and pepper as desired, and serve.
Beverage pairing: A creamy soup demands a wine of substance, while clams cry out for minerality and bacon wants to meet with a little smoke. Only one wine can fulfill all of these requirements: Chardonnay from the French region of Chablis. Try the 2005 Chablis from Domaine Jean-Marc Brocard.
As a New Englander stuck in the Midwest you do the best you can. I am able to find frozen "sea clams" from Blounts in Warren RI which I assume are actually quahogs and make the Master chowder from the "Mystic Seaport" Seafood Secrets. Onion, potato, clams and clam broth (sorry, I do use bottled, chicken broth just doesn't cut it).
From the base of broth chowder you can add cream (Boston) or tomato (Rhode Island) but no other veggies. And yes, definately salt pork, not bacon! I think there are some versions with celery, carrots and tomato called Manhatten chowder. My brother and mother used to have battles over the size of the potatoes. Bro and I make it every summer when he comes to visit along with some awesome clam cakes.
My modifications: I skipped the bottled clam juice, couldn't bring myself to do it. I used about 4 lbs clams total, 2 lbs littleneck and 2 lbs cherrystone (larger, but seemed to contain more brine). My liquids were: two cups broth from steaming the clams and veggie scraps (I added more water than called for to the steaming process), 1/2 cup dry vermouth, 2 cups plain water. I mashed part of the potatoes as the new englander suggested, used a hair more bacon than called for, a bit extra onion and I crushed the garlic clove and dropped it straight into the sauteing onion rather than mincing it. I added ample black pepper and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes at the end, along with the thyme, parsley and cream. Next time I'd probably use more clams. Delicious.
To thicken your chowder, I do not use flour, I add instant potatoe flakes until it is thick to your liking, But little at a time, Not to thick. I too skip the garlic, carrots.
Living in Arizona, we don't always have fresh brine and I don't like the bottled stuff. Here's my alternative. which tastes truly delicious. To make brine, use 2 chicken bouillion melted into 2 cups of hot water. Add a Tablespoon of white vinegar and sprinkle black pepper. I like tobasco sauce and usually add a shot or two, but you don't have to add it if you don't like it. Once you add the shellfish you will see that the blend is amazing!!
Yeah, very simple use your shrimp broth or, if you have fresh clams steam then save everything from the steaming process. Who uses flour and why would you? It add nothing to the flavor. I actually just made chowder last night and the only thing was I had to use canned baby clams, a little butter, some ham trimmings, (fat, marrow, and about 1/8 cup actual ham) an "evil" plain yellow onion, 2% milk and 3 medium white potatoes. No clam juice, no cream, nada. Yep, pantry raid chowder.
So to brighten up the taste I added a small shot of malt vinigar and a dash of tabasco. Didn't noticably change the taste but gave it a fresh brinyness that it was lacking. Ran about 2/3rds of it through the blender for lovely creaminess. A pinch of Thyme, plenty of Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper and it was quite good.
Oh, the only "clever" thing I did was take my slightly stale generic oyster crackers and tart them up a bit:
2 tbls melter butter, 1/8 tsp onion power, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp worcstershire sauce and about 1/2 - 3/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning. Toss and toasted at 250 for about an hour, they were nice a flavorful, crispy addition to the chowder.
The last of the salad greens on the side and we called it dinner. Dessert was strawberry newtons and oreos. What can I say I live with 6 year old and 40 year old boys. They didn't want to have the left over apple bread pudding and butterscotch rum sauce 'cause it would take too long to heat up.
I, too have an issue with the garlic. Also, regarding the onion, Vidalia or other big, sweet onion is far better than those little yellow things that come in the mesh bags. Else it's a great recipe.
As with most New Englanders, my version is a bit different. Skip the celery, carrots and flour, and substitute salt pork for the bacon. Use a bit more water for steaming the clams - and you'll have enough clam juice for your chowder. I also do not use wine or garlic. If you want it thicker, mash up 1/4 of the potatoes.
Here is what Cook's Thesaurus says: clam juice = clam nectar Substitutes: Equal parts chicken broth and water OR fish stock.
You can also use shrimp broth.
This recipe sounds wonderful but it is Lent and Friday I cannot use the bacon any subsitution suggestions?
agreed, would like a substitution for the clam juice, stuff is nasty.
agreed, would like a substitution for the clam juice, stuff is nasty.
agreed, would like a substitution for the clam juice, stuff is nasty.
Would a shrimp boil work in place of the bottled clam juice? I reserve and freeze my shrimp shells and use the broth in rice or my base stock for oyster chowder.
Is there any way around the bottled clam juice? The bottled stuff turns me off. Can I just use more clams? There used to be a really good powdered clam juice, but I can't find it anymore.