Clam Bake Recipes

STOVETOP CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Combine onions, garlic, pale ale, and water in a 16-quart stockpot. Cover with a layer of seaweed (or place a steamer basket on top of onions). Add potatoes, chorizo, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add lobsters; cook over high heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Add clams and corn; cook, covered, for 6 minutes. Add mussels and shrimp; cook, covered, until clams and mussels open and shrimp are cooked through, 4 to 8 minutes.
• Remove seafood, corn, potatoes, and chorizo using tongs, and transfer to large platters or rimmed baking sheets. Discard seaweed and any unopened clams and mussels. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl; add butter, swirling to melt. Squeeze lemons over clambake.

ONE-POT CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Pour 1 gallon of water into a lobster pot or stockpot large enough to hold all ingredients. Add potatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, 10 minutes (potatoes will be slightly softened but not cooked through).
• Put coriander, fennel, thyme, and peppercorns in a large piece of cheesecloth. Gather edges together and tie with kitchen string to make a pouch.
• Add spice pouch, wine, chorizo, and lobsters to pot with potatoes. Boil, covered, 5 minutes. Add clams and corn and cook, covered, until lobsters are cooked and clams have opened, about 5 minutes (discard any unopened clams).
• Cut each lobster in half using a heavy knife and kitchen shears. Serve each person half a lobster, 6 clams, half an ear of corn, 2 potatoes, and a piece of chorizo.

ONE-POT CLAM BAKE

Steps:

• In a 12-quart stockpot, bring wine and 3/4 cup water to a boil. Add garlic, shallots, potatoes, and 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, if using; cover and cook 8 minutes. Add corn, clams, and lemons; cover and cook until clams have opened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp in a single layer, cover, turn off heat, and let sit until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.
• With tongs or a spider, transfer shellfish and vegetables to a serving platter, setting lemons aside; discard any unopened clams. Pour broth into a bowl and whisk in butter, parsley, and oregano. Scrape flesh from half the lemons into broth, discarding skins. Serve shellfish and vegetables with remaining lemons and broth for dipping.

TRADITIONAL CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Preheat grill to medium-high (350 to 400 F).
• Combine butter, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, cayenne and thyme in small bowl: set aside.
• Line large bowl with 2 sheets of aluminum foil.
• Fill evenly with one-fourth of the shrimp, potatoes, corn, clams and sausage.
• Drizzle with butter mixture.
• Close foil packet by bringing corners together at tip and pressing together tightly to seal. Repeat to make 4 packets.
• Grill packets, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until clams open and shrimp are opaque. To serve, place packets on large plates and open to vent.

CLAM BAKE

Steps:

• Place a potatoes in a layer in the bottom of a large pot. Cover with a layer of clams, then mussels, and finally the shrimp. Pour in the vermouth and enough chicken broth to fill the pot halfway. You may not need all of the broth, depending on the size of your pot. Cut a half cup of the butter into cubes and place on top of the seafood. Cover with a lid, and seal tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, and carefully remove the foil and lid. Remove the seafood and potatoes from the liquid and serve on a large platter, family-style.
• Melt 1/2 cup of reserved butter, and divide into 4 individual dishes for dipping. Serve with French bread and remaining softened butter for the bread.

ONE POT CLAM BAKE

Steps:

• Place a steamer basket in 30-quart pot. Add wine and 12 cups water; cover and bring to a boil. Add potatoes; cover and cook 5 minutes. Add lobsters and eggs; cover and cook 10 minutes. Gently nestle corn and next 6 ingredients (and littlenecks, if using) in pot. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add Manila clams or steamers (if using), cover, and cook 10 minutes. Add mussels, cover, and cook until shellfish open, about 5 minutes (discard any that do not open). Peel 1 egg and cut in half. If it's hard-boiled, lobsters are ready.
• Using a slotted spoon and tongs, transfer clambake to a very large platter or a table covered with newspaper. Sprinkle with spice mix. Pour broth from pot into small bowls, leaving any sediment behind. Serve clambake with broth and melted butter.

KITCHEN CLAMBAKE

Steps:

• Slice the kielbasa diagonally into 1-inch thick slices. Set aside. Saute the onions and leeks in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed 16 to 20 quart stockpot over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions start to brown.
• Layer the ingredients on top of the onions in the stockpot in this order: first the potatoes, salt, and pepper; then the kielbasa, little neck clams, steamer clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters. Pour in the white wine. Cover the pot tightly and cook over medium-high heat until steam just begins to escape from the lid, about 15 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook another 15 minutes. The clambake should be done. Test to be sure the potatoes are tender, the lobsters are cooked, and the clams and mussels are open. Remove the lobsters to a wooden board, cut them up, and crack the claws. With large slotted spoons, remove the seafood, potatoes, and sausages to a large bowl and top with the lobsters. Season the broth in the pot to taste, and ladle over the seafood, being very careful to avoid any sand in the bottom.