New England Clam Chowder (Printable Version)

Creamy chowder with tender littleneck clams, potatoes, and savory vegetables from New England’s coastline.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 lbs fresh littleneck clams, scrubbed
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice

→ Vegetables

03 - 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
06 - 1 small carrot, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

08 - 1½ cups heavy cream
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pantry

11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 2 slices bacon, diced
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
17 - Oyster crackers (optional, for serving)

# Directions:

01 - Rinse clams under cold water and scrub shells. In a large pot, add clams with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and steam for 5–7 minutes until clams open. Discard any unopened clams. Remove clams; strain and reserve cooking liquid.
02 - Once cool enough to handle, remove clam meat from shells, chop coarsely, and set aside.
03 - In a large Dutch oven, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving fat in the pot.
04 - Add butter to the pot, then sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to form a roux.
06 - Gradually stir in reserved clam cooking liquid and bottled clam juice, scraping up any browned bits. Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10–12 minutes.
07 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in chopped clams, cooked bacon, heavy cream, and milk. Simmer gently without boiling for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Ladle chowder into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot with optional oyster crackers.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The clams stay tender because you cook them first and add them at the very end, keeping them from turning to rubber.
  • That roux base makes it naturally thick without feeling heavy, and the bacon-butter start gives it layers of flavor that feel indulgent but aren't complicated.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
02 -
  • Never skip straining the clam cooking liquid—even a tiny bit of sand ruins the whole pot, and nobody learns this the fun way.
  • The moment the cream goes in, lower the heat to medium-low; anything hotter will cause it to break and separate, turning silky soup into a grainy mess.
  • Add the clams at the very end so they stay tender; adding them earlier means they'll cook twice and turn into rubber.
03 -
  • Buy clams the day you plan to make the soup, keep them cold, and use them immediately—they're alive and need respect.
  • Taste the soup before it goes in the pot; clam quality varies wildly, and sometimes you need more seasoning than you expect.
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