Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

A creamy, hearty chowder from the northeastern United States, built on salt pork, soft potatoes, fresh clams and warm cream. Traditionally served in a hollowed bread bowl or with oyster crackers on the side.

Prep

20 min

Cook

40 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •100 g (3½ oz) salt pork, rind removed, finely diced; substitute 60 g (2 oz) thick-cut streaky bacon if unavailable
• •1 large yellow onion, finely diced, about 200 g
• •30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour, for a light roux to thicken the broth
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5 cm (½ in) cubes; russets also work
• •240 ml (1 cup) clam juice, from the bottled clam liquor below plus bottled juice to total this amount
• •250 ml (1 cup) water, or light chicken stock
• •2 bay leaves bay leaves
• •1 kg (2¼ lb) littleneck or cherrystone clams, live, in the shell; scrubbed. If using shucked clams, use 450 g (1 lb) meat plus extra bottled juice
• •240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, do not substitute milk; cream is essential for the traditional texture
• •2 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, adjust to taste after clams are added
• •1 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •15 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, optional, stirred in at the end for richness
• •20 g (¼ cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to finish

Steps

1. 1 PREP THE CLAMS: Scrub the shells under cold running water and discard any clams that are open and do not close when tapped. If using shucked clams, strain the liquid through a fine sieve and reserve.
2. 2 STEAM THE CLAMS: Place the clams in a large pot with the 250 ml (1 cup) water. Cover and set over high heat. Steam for 5 to 8 minutes, shaking the pot once, until the shells open. Transfer opened clams to a bowl. Discard any that remain tightly closed. Measure and reserve the cooking liquid; you need about 240 ml (1 cup) total when combined with reserved shucking liquid or bottled juice.
3. 3 SHUCK THE CLAMS: Once cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the shells. Chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Save a few whole clams for garnish if desired. Strain the clam liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter to remove any grit.
4. 4 RENDER THE SALT PORK: In a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-low heat, add the diced salt pork. Cook slowly for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are crisp and golden. Remove the cracklings with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the rendered fat in the pot.
5. 5 SOFTEN THE ONION: Increase the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt to the rendered fat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
6. 6 MAKE A LIGHT ROUX: Sprinkle the flour over the onion. Stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. The mixture should look like a paste.
7. 7 BUILD THE BROTH: Slowly whisk in the reserved clam liquid and any additional bottled juice to reach 240 ml (1 cup). Add the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to prevent lumps.
8. 8 COOK THE POTATOES: Add the diced potatoes to the pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife but still hold their shape. Do not boil vigorously, as this can break the potatoes down and make the chowder gluey.
9. 9 ADD THE CLAMS: Stir in the chopped clam meat and simmer for 2 minutes to just heat through. Do not overcook, as clam meat becomes rubbery if boiled too long.
10. 10 FINISH WITH CREAM: Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the butter if using. Warm gently for 1 to 2 minutes; do not let the chowder boil after the cream goes in, or it may curdle. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
11. 11 SERVE: Ladle into warmed bowls or hollowed bread bowls. Top each portion with the reserved salt pork cracklings and a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve immediately with oyster crackers alongside.
12. 12 DONENESS AND SAFETY: The chowder is ready when the potatoes are fully tender and the clams are just cooked through. The internal temperature at serving should be at least 63°C (145°F). Any clams that did not open during steaming must be discarded. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and consume within 2 days.