Smoked Seafood Chowder Recipe

Prepare clams and haddock

If using fresh little necks, steam until they open, remove meat and reserve 1 cup of clam juice; chop the meat roughly. If using canned, drain but reserve 1 cup of juice. Remove skin from smoked haddock and flake into bite-sized pieces. Keep smoked baby shrimp refrigerated until added.

Render bacon

In a large heavy-bottomed kettle over medium heat, add the diced smoked bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly crisp and fat is rendered, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer most of the crisped bacon to a small bowl for garnish, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot (leave all fond in the pot).

Add butter to the reserved bacon fat. When butter melts, add the diced onion, celery, and carrot with a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds more until fragrant.

Stir in the diced potatoes and sweet corn, tossing to coat in fat. Cook 2–3 minutes to warm the corn and begin to toast the potato edges lightly.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to form a roux and cook off raw flour taste. This will thicken the chowder.

Deglaze the pot with the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Pour in the reserved clam juice, clam juice/canned liquid if used, and the chicken or fish stock. Add the bay leaf and fresh thyme. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 12–15 minutes.

Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the half-and-half (stewed cream) slowly and heat gently — do not boil after adding cream. Warm through for 3–4 minutes until chowder is slightly thickened.

Add the flaked smoked haddock, smoked baby shrimp, and chopped little neck clams to the pot. Stir gently to combine and heat through for 3–4 minutes. The smoked seafood is already cooked and only needs to reach serving temperature.

Season the chowder with Old Bay, smoked paprika, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley, stir, and remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls. Sprinkle reserved crisped bacon and crumbled chowder crackers (or crushed saltines) over each bowl for texture. Finish with an extra pinch of chopped parsley and a light dusting of smoked paprika if desired.

Serve immediately with extra crackers on the side.