James Beard Clam Chowder Recipe

Clean and steam fresh clams

Rinse clams under cold water and discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. In a large pot, combine 2 cups water and 1 cup dry white wine and bring to a simmer. Add clams, cover, and steam until shells open, about 6–8 minutes (discard any that remain closed). Remove clams with tongs to a bowl to cool; reserve the cooking liquid by straining through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth into a measuring cup and set aside (you should end up with about 1 cup).

Chop clams

When cool enough to handle, remove clam meat from shells. Chop half of the clam meat coarsely and leave the rest in larger pieces. Combine chopped and larger pieces, then mix with the 8 oz chopped canned clams (including their juice). Reserve until final assembly.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until fat renders and pieces are crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer most bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter to the bacon fat; melt.

Add the diced onion, celery, and sliced leek to the butter/bacon fat. Sweat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned, about 8–10 minutes. Add minced garlic and bay leaves and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and stir to coat with the aromatic mixture. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook the flour and form a roux that will help thicken the chowder.

Slowly add the strained clam broth (about 1 cup) and the reserved canned clam juice if needed while stirring to prevent lumps. Then add 2 cups whole milk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue to simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 12–15 minutes. If the chowder is too thick, add up to 1/2 cup additional milk or clam broth to reach desired consistency.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream (sweet cream) and the combined fresh and canned clams. Warm gently—do not boil—until clams are heated through, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and season with kosher salt (start with 1 teaspoon) and freshly ground black pepper; adjust to preference.

If you used a flour roux and want a silkier finish, mix 2 tablespoons cold water with any remaining flour into a thin slurry and whisk in now; simmer 1–2 minutes to integrate. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Ladle chowder into warmed bowls. Sprinkle reserved crisp bacon pieces on top and garnish with chopped parsley and sliced chives. Serve with oyster crackers or crusty bread and an extra grind of black pepper.