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New England clam chowder

This is truly traditional New England fare; a tasty and comforting soup, especially in cold days.

Ingredients

2 pounds clams (quahogs, in shell)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups clam juice
3 pounds potato (peeled and diced)
4 ounces pork (salt pork or bacon)
1 onion (large, finely chopped)
3 cups milk (scalded)
2 tablespoons butter (unsalted, softened)
2 cups cream
2 tablespoons flour (all purpose flour)
  salt
  pepper (freshly ground)

Instructions

Prepare the clams

  1. Scrub the clams. Set them in a large bowl with water and cornstarch to soak for 30 minutes. Rinse well after that.
  2. Take clam juice to the boil in a large pot and add clams, cover and reduce heat. Simmer until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
  3. Shuck the clams over the pot to catch all the juices, chop them and strain the clam broth, save both for later.

Parboil the potatoes

Pour water into a kettle, add salt and take it to the boil. Add the diced potatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set apart.

Prepare the chowder

  1. In a large saucepan, sauté bacon or salt pork until brown. Remove excess fat leaving just 2 Tbs. Add the chopped onions and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add milk and stir scraping the bottom of the pan to detach all rests of bacon. Add now the blanched potatoes and the reserved clam broth. Take to the boil then lower heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, mix butter and flour until smooth, whisk into the chowder and add the cream. Again, take to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the clams and cook until thoroughly heated but do not boil. Season to your taste and serve.
Total time
1 hour, 5 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
Preparation time 20 minutes
Yield
8 servings

Notes

You could substitute 2 cups canned, chopped clams instead of fresh ones and their liquid instead of clam juice.

Quahogs are fond along the USA Atlantic coast; if you don't have them, use your local clams instead of New England quahogs. Other possibilities to create your own New England style chowder are: cockles, oysters, mussels or scallops. You could use light fish stock instead of clam juice.

Source

New England cuisine

New England is located on the North East of the United States. Being so close to Canada, some French influence in their cuisine should not come as a surprise. New England traditional chowders come from the French thick soups made with fish, seafood, and vegetables. The word chaudiere is the French name for the big copper pot in which those soups were prepared, hence the name chowder.

moderate, comfort food
soup, appetizer, lunch
fish & seafood
New England food recipes
Food in U.S.A.

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