Award Winning Clam Chowder Recipe

Render bacon

In a heavy 4–6 quart pot over medium heat, add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisped (about 6–8 minutes). Remove bacon with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and reserve bacon fat in the pot.

Sweat aromatics

Add the unsalted butter to the reserved bacon fat over medium heat. Once melted, add the diced onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until softened and translucent (about 6–8 minutes). Add the minced garlic, fresh thyme leaves, and bay leaf and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.

Add potatoes and stock

Stir in the cubed potatoes and sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the fish/clam stock while stirring to combine and avoid lumps. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer.

Simmer until tender

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes. Skim foam or impurities from the surface if present. Remove and discard the bay leaf once potatoes are cooked.

Steam fresh clams (if using live)

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, add 1/2 cup water and the scrubbed live clams. Cover and steam over medium-high heat until clams open, about 5–7 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Remove clams from shells and reserve their liquor (liquid) by straining through a fine sieve or coffee filter into a bowl. Chop the meat from the opened clams into bite-size pieces.

Add clams to chowder

Once potatoes are tender, stir in the reserved chopped cooked clams and any reserved clam liquor (up to 1/2 cup) to the pot. If using bottled cooked clams instead of live clams, simply add the cooked clams now and reduce added stock if needed.

Finish with milk and cream

Stir in the whole milk and heavy cream and gently heat the chowder on low; do not boil vigorously once dairy is added (simmer very gently) for 5–8 minutes until the chowder is hot and slightly thickened.

Season and enrich

Stir in the cooked bacon pieces, Dijon mustard, dry sherry (if using), Old Bay seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley, stirring to combine.

Adjust texture

If you prefer a thicker chowder, remove 1–2 cups of the chowder solids (potatoes and vegetables) to a blender or use an immersion blender to pulse a portion of the soup until smooth, then return it to the pot and stir to combine. Reheat gently.

Ladle the chowder into bowls (or cups for happy hour). Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chives and an extra crack of black pepper. Serve with crusty bread on the side if desired.