New England Clam Chowder Recipe
middleneck clams, Nueske's bacon, gold potatoes, chive
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Ingredients
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Clams & Broth
Soup Base & Vegetables
Dairy & Thickening
Finishing & Garnish
Method
Clams & Broth
- 1
Clean clams
Rinse middleneck clams under cold water. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped.
- 2
Steam clams and make broth
In a large pot, combine 4 cups water, 1 cup dry white wine, 1 bay leaf, 8 peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add clams, cover, and steam until shells open, about 6–8 minutes. Remove pot from heat as soon as clams open to avoid overcooking.
- 3
Reserve clams and strain broth
Using tongs, transfer opened clams to a bowl to cool slightly. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a heatproof bowl to remove grit; reserve about 3 cups of the strained clam liquor for the chowder. Discard any clams that did not open.
- 4
Shuck clams
When cool enough to handle, remove clams from shells. Reserve about 10 medium chopped clams (or roughly 1 cup chopped) for finishing. If you have extra meat, you can reserve more for a heartier chowder. Chop larger clams into bite-sized pieces.
Soup Base & Vegetables
- 5
- 6
Sweat aromatics
Reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the bacon fat. Add the diced onion and diced celery and cook gently until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant; do not brown.
- 7
Add potatoes and thyme
Stir in the 1 lb cubed Yukon Gold potatoes and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves. Pour in the reserved 3 cups clam broth and 1 cup white wine if any remains, or top up with water to ensure potatoes are covered by liquid by about 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes.
Dairy & Thickening
- 8
Make roux
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter (if not enough fat in pot) and whisk in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste but do not let it brown.
- 9
Incorporate roux and dairy
Temper the roux by whisking in 1/2 cup of the hot clam-potato cooking liquid until smooth. Pour the tempered roux back into the main pot. Stir in 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream. Return to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chowder thickens slightly, about 5–8 minutes. Do not boil vigorously after adding dairy.
Finishing & Garnish
- 10
Add clams and bacon
Add the reserved chopped clams and the cooked bacon pieces to the chowder. Stir gently and heat through over low heat for 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If desired, add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to brighten flavors.
- 11
Finish and rest
Remove from heat and let the chowder rest for 5 minutes to meld flavors. If the chowder is thicker than desired, thin with additional clam broth or milk 1/4 cup at a time.
- 12