Anthony's Clam Chowder Recipe

Make clam broth and steam clams

Rinse clams under cold running water, scrubbing shells to remove grit. In a large pot, combine bottled clam juice and 2 cups water. Add bay leaves and whole peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the clams, cover, and steam until shells open, 6–8 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer opened clams to a bowl to cool. Discard any clams that did not open. Reserve the cooking liquid by straining it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth into a bowl to remove sand and grit. Set strained broth aside.

When clams are cool enough to handle, remove meat from shells. Chop larger clams into bite-sized pieces; leave smaller ones whole. You should end up with about 12 oz clam meat. Reserve a few whole clam pieces for garnish if desired.

Cook bacon and vegetables

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add diced bacon. Cook, stirring, until bacon is browned and fat rendered, about 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer most of the crisped bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot. Add the butter to the remaining fat and melt.

Add the diced onion and celery to the pot. Sweat over medium heat until softened and translucent, 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Make roux and add potatoes

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the cooked vegetables and stir continually to coat and cook the flour for 2–3 minutes; this forms a light roux. Gradually whisk in the reserved strained clam broth (start with 1 cup, whisk to smooth, then add the rest) to avoid lumps. Add the diced red potatoes, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 12–15 minutes.

Add milk and cream

Reduce heat to low. Stir in the whole milk and heavy cream slowly, warming gently — do not boil after adding cream to prevent separation. Simmer on low for 6–8 minutes to meld flavors and thicken slightly.

Add the reserved chopped clam meat and most of the cooked bacon to the pot. Stir gently to combine and heat the clams through for 2–3 minutes (fresh clams cook quickly; canned clams just need to be heated). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Remove bay leaves and discard. If the chowder is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional clam broth or milk to reach desired consistency.

Ladle chowder into warmed bowls. Garnish with reserved bacon pieces, chopped parsley, and chives. Serve with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over if desired, and oyster crackers or crusty bread.