The Best Clam Chowder Recipe

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foodnelson

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This calm chowder is very creamy with just the right touch of spices and seafood flavors. It is also full of tender, juicy clams. This is a must soup for lent or anytime during the year!
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken
2 large medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Shellfish Spice
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp corn starch
3 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
4 (10 oz) cans baby clams, undrained
2 tbsp chopped parsley


Fry bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp, remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to pot, saute until softened, then add potatoes and chicken stock. Season with salt and Shellfish Spice, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

In a second large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in corn starch, whisking to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then add cream and milk while whisking. Cook over low heat until thickened. Pour into onion and potato mixture, add clams only, reserving the juice in the cans.

Add bacon and the reserved juice a bit at a time to reach desired consistency. Stir and gently cook over moderate heat until heated through about 10 minutes. Transfer to soup tureen and garnish with parsley or Shellfish Spice.

The Best Clam Chowder Recipe - YouTube
 
In a second large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in corn starch, whisking to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then add cream and milk while whisking. Cook over low heat until thickened. Pour into onion and potato mixture, add clams only, reserving the juice in the cans.


I wouldn't recommend using cornstarch to make a roux. And that seems like a lot of cornstarch!
 
This calm chowder is very creamy with just the right touch of spices and seafood flavors. It is also full of tender, juicy clams. This is a must soup for lent or anytime during the year!
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken
2 large medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Shellfish Spice
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp corn starch
3 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
4 (10 oz) cans baby clams, undrained
2 tbsp chopped parsley


Fry bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp, remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to pot, saute until softened, then add potatoes and chicken stock. Season with salt and Shellfish Spice, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

In a second large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in corn starch, whisking to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then add cream and milk while whisking. Cook over low heat until thickened. Pour into onion and potato mixture, add clams only, reserving the juice in the cans.

Add bacon and the reserved juice a bit at a time to reach desired consistency. Stir and gently cook over moderate heat until heated through about 10 minutes. Transfer to soup tureen and garnish with parsley or Shellfish Spice.

The Best Clam Chowder Recipe - YouTube

Having been raised in a Catholic household, we wouldn't have been allowed to have this during Lent because it includes bacon, which would be considered meat.

Just my thoughts.
 
This calm chowder is very creamy with just the right touch of spices and seafood flavors. It is also full of tender, juicy clams. This is a must soup for lent or anytime during the year!
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken
2 large medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Shellfish Spice
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp corn starch
3 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half cream
4 (10 oz) cans baby clams, undrained
2 tbsp chopped parsley


Fry bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp, remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to pot, saute until softened, then add potatoes and chicken stock. Season with salt and Shellfish Spice, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

In a second large saucepan, melt butter, whisk in corn starch, whisking to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then add cream and milk while whisking. Cook over low heat until thickened. Pour into onion and potato mixture, add clams only, reserving the juice in the cans.

Add bacon and the reserved juice a bit at a time to reach desired consistency. Stir and gently cook over moderate heat until heated through about 10 minutes. Transfer to soup tureen and garnish with parsley or Shellfish Spice.

The Best Clam Chowder Recipe - YouTube
Is "shell fish spice" the same as Old Bay Seasoning? Could I substitute?

Mind you, this could all be academic as I have no idea where I'd find tinned clams. Not something you find in your everyday British supermarket!

I shall have a talk to Mr Amazon.

EDIT: For anyone else in UK who's wondering - Waitrose and Ocado do both tinned and frozen clams.
 
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It looks good in your vid.
I too am having a hard time Googling shellfish seasoning...
 
I wouldn't recommend using cornstarch to make a roux. And that seems like a lot of cornstarch!

I agree Jenny. The problem with cornstarch being used as a thickener is that when the dish cools down, the cornstarch separates. I also prefer to use bottled clam juice in place of the chicken broth. If this recipe is meant to be used for Lent, then the chicken broth negates that.

When I make clam chowder, I not only use the canned clams, but also cook up a mess of fresh live clams first. When I go to open them, I do so over a bowl to catch the liquor. I then strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Nothing worse than gritty sand in a delicious chowder. I steam the clams in a small amount of water and this to get strained and used in the chowder also. :angel:
 
Side question- Bacon is not allowed during the whole of Lent? or just Fridays during Lent?

I don't recall using a thickener in my clam chowder. I use canned clams and like Addie, clam juice instead of chicken broth. My creamy potato soup is the same recipe, minus the clams and yes to chix broth. For me, Both must have bacon.
 
I can't imagine using anything but fresh clams in chowder. I understand availability, but I would just not make it until I could get fresh.
 
Having been raised in a Catholic household, we wouldn't have been allowed to have this during Lent because it includes bacon, which would be considered meat.

Just my thoughts.


During lent you can use bacon fat (not the bacon) chicken stock is OK as well as butter and cream or milk! The rules have changed according to the Roman rite.

PS: there are much better recipes then this one, sorry to say.
 
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Side question- Bacon is not allowed during the whole of Lent? or just Fridays during Lent?

I don't recall using a thickener in my clam chowder. I use canned clams and like Addie, clam juice instead of chicken broth. My creamy potato soup is the same recipe, minus the clams and yes to chix broth. For me, Both must have bacon.

Whisk, most New Englanders use salt pork sautéed until crispy brown. Removed and later on use like you would croutons. And you must use Oysterette crackers with clam chowder.

Looking back, I think we have destroyed the OP's recipe. But I think he can be forgiven since he lives far from the sea. :angel:
 
I can't imagine using anything but fresh clams in chowder. I understand availability, but I would just not make it until I could get fresh.

I agree. Canned clams taste fishy and metallic to me. And they are definitely not "tender and juicy."

Bottled clam juice is usually ok for me and I use it in chowder.

Clam chowder thickens up nicely using the cooked potatoes alone, no need for much flour and definitely no need for 6T of cornstarch (made into a roux not a slurry).
 
When I make clam chowder, I not only use the canned clams, but also cook up a mess of fresh live clams first. When I go to open them, I do so over a bowl to catch the liquor. I then strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Nothing worse than gritty sand in a delicious chowder. I steam the clams in a small amount of water and this to get strained and used in the chowder also. :angel:

So you can steam the clams with a bit of water or clam juice and reserve the liquid?
I like this idea, as opening clams is not very easy.

I can't imagine using anything but fresh clams in chowder. I understand availability, but I would just not make it until I could get fresh.

I must agree even though I have never made clam chowder. I have never made oyster stew either, but plan to try making one of these two very soon.
Seems fresh would be the best way to approach this?
My father used to make clam sauce with linguine and he used canned clams. It was good as he used lots of parsley, garlic and Parmesan cheese to garnish. But I bet it would have been much better with fresh.
 
Yes, I make sure there is enough water that comes up to the bottom half of the shell. It takes about 5-7 minutes for the clams to open. Steam them covered. Some of their liquor is spilled into the steaming water, so it is important to strain it and use it in the chowder.

If you insist on a thick chowder (HORRORS!) put extra potatoes in a pan and when done, take a couple of the extra ones and mash. Add to the chowder. The chowder will thicken up on its own with the potatoes as a thickening agent. The rest of the potatoes should be cut into diced pieces. :angel:
 
During lent you can use bacon fat (not the bacon) chicken stock is OK as well as butter and cream or milk! The rules have changed according to the Roman rite....
I can use bacon fat? And chicken broth? :w00t2: Bacon is like the meat of the Gods. :heart: I've still been playing by the old rules. I always have some sort of chicken broth/stock on hand, not so much veggie stock.
 
...If you insist on a thick chowder (HORRORS!)...

Horrors is right Addie! I've had it so thick at some restaurants I could have stood the spoon up in the cup.

I'm going to go rogue here and say my prefered clam chowder is...clear. :huh: On occasion we'll head down to the coast of CT to eat at a restaurant called "Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale". They have a very yummy chowder with a thinner consistency. We thought it would be good to take a quart home for the next day or two and asked for one to-go. The server said that she would have them put the cream in a separate container so we could add an ounce or two to our bowls after we heated the chowder. :huh: Add the cream? Turns out their chowder is made clear, then they add the cream right before it's brought to the table. I've ordered it clear ever since when we're there. As a plus, you can "save" the calories for your fried fish.

Clear chowder is a south coast New England thing. It's commonly known as "Rhode Island Clear" but can be found at some restaurants and clam shacks along the CT coast too.

I've never made clear chowder, but this recipe looks like it would make a fine representation of the thing. Rhode Island Clam Chowder If I were to make it, I would cut back on the amount of thyme - it's a strong flavor and I'm afraid almost 1T would make it the dominant flavor. You can always add in, but you can't take out.;)
 
I can use bacon fat? And chicken broth? :w00t2: Bacon is like the meat of the Gods. :heart: I've still been playing by the old rules. I always have some sort of chicken broth/stock on hand, not so much veggie stock.

Yes; just look @ foods to eat during lent on the web, then you decide.
 
CG, the all time guru of New England sea food is Jasper White. Make a quick trip to your library and take out his book on chowders. He doesn't thicken his chowders at all.

And the bacon grease rule came into being when it became all right to eat breakfast and still receive communion. Also women no longer needed to cover their head in church.

http://www.cookstr.com/users/jasper-white/profile

Some interesting reading. :angel:
 
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CG, the all time guru of New England sea food is Jasper White. Make a quick trip to your library and take out his book on chowders. He doesn't thicken his chowders at all.

And the bacon grease rule came into being when it became all right to eat breakfast and still receive communion. Also women no longer needed to cover their head in church...

Addie, I have no plans on making chowder, just eating it! :LOL:

And HOW did I not know the "animal fat/broths are OK" change? I was in Catholic grade school when Vatican II was going on (and ditched the head doily then), Catholic high school for the rest of the 1960s, and thought I learned all that was important to me. :huh: So much for learning rites and theology, all these years I've been missing out on bacon grease and chicken broth. That's a sin!
 
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