My Favorite New England Clam Chowder Recipes

CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon of the fat rendered in the pot.
• Melt the butter in the stockpot with the bacon fat. Add the garlic, onion and celery, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become soft but not brown, about 5-6 minutes.
• Whisk in the flour and stir for about a minute trying to get rid of any lumps. Gradually, stir in the white wine and reduce for about 1 minute.
• Add the potatoes, the clam juice, the liquid from the canned clams and the broth. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the potatoes become tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• When the potatoes are tender, stir in the half and half and the clams and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer (do not let the chowder come to a full boil) and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. If the chowder is too thick, add additional half and half until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately garnished with chopped parsley and the reserved bacon.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Warm the pot over medium heat and fry the bacon until the fat renders and the bacon starts to crisp. Add the onion and cook until it's translucent. Stir in the flour and cook it until the mixture is lightly browned and has a slightly nutty flavor. If you can still taste flour, it's not ready.
• Gradually whisk in clam broth and the reserved clam juice from clams. Add potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (Optional: Mash the potatoes a bit with a potato masher to help thicken the soup even more.)
• Add the clams, corn, cream, parsley, salt (taste first, may not be necessary) and ground pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve garnished with parsley and oyster crackers or in a bread bowl.

MY BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
• Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat add the bacon and cook until slightly crisp and no longer pink. Remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until tender. Add the flour and stir.
• Add in the juice from the clams, chicken broth, milk, and half and half, then stir until there aren't any clumps. Add in the potatoes.
• Bring the pot to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer until the potatoes are tender and the soup is thick. Stir in the clams and salt and pepper to taste. Top with crumbled bacon and serve.

MY FAVORITE NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Brown the bacon until crisp in a thick-bottomed soup pot.
• Pour off half the fat.
• Add the onions and celery with a splash of water and saute for a few minutes until soft.
• Add the white wine, cream, milk, and the juice/nectar.
• Add bay leaves, thyme, and the diced potatoes.
• Bring the mixture to a SLOW simmer.
• Continue simmering for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are softened and the chowder has thickened.
• Add the reserved clam meat, evaporated milk and parsley.
• Bring back to a slow simmer.
• Taste the chowder and add enough salt and pepper to season it.
• Serve with your favorite crusty rolls or biscuits!
• Hint- This chowder can be made a day or two in advance and reheated prior to serving. Its flavor actually benefits from resting in the refrigerator overnight.