American · Soup · Medium
Clam Chowder
Creamy New England clam chowder loaded with tender clams, potatoes, and smoky bacon. Thick enough to stand a spoon in.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Clam Chowder, in 5 ideas
- New England style is cream based. Manhattan style is tomato based. Do not mix them up in front of a New Englander.
- Add the clams at the very end. Overcooked clams turn rubbery.
- Never boil after adding the dairy or it can curdle.
- The chowder thickens as it sits. Make it a little thinner than you want.
- Bacon is traditional and adds a smoky depth that defines the dish.
What you need
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 bottles (8 oz each) clam juice
- 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, drained (juice reserved)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp thyme, salt, and pepper to taste
- Oyster crackers for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a large pot until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat.
- Add the onion and celery to the bacon fat, cook 5 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the butter until melted, then the flour. Cook 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the clam juice (bottled plus reserved from cans) and add the potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme.
- Simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the half and half and the clams. Heat through gently, do not boil.
- Season with salt and pepper. Top with bacon and serve with oyster crackers.
Canned clams are perfectly fine here and far easier than fresh. Save the fresh clams for steaming and eating plain.