Ingredients
Clams
- 3 kgquahogs or chowder clams in the shell
- 250 mlwater
- or 800 g tinned chopped clams with their juice
Base
- 150 gsalt pork, finely diced, or streaky bacon
- 2onions, chopped
- 2 stickscelery, chopped
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspfresh thyme
Body
- 800 gfloury potatoes, in 2 cm cubes
- 500 mlclam liquor
- 40 gplain flour, optional
- 500 mlwhole milk
- 250 mldouble cream
- white pepper
- salt
To serve
- oyster crackers, or common crackers
- chopped parsley
- a knob of butter
Directions
- Steam the clams in a covered pot with the water over a high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until they open. Take them off as soon as most have opened. Discard any that stayed shut, and shell the rest.
- Strain the cooking liquor through a fine cloth and keep it, because it is the backbone of the chowder. Strain it carefully.
- Chop the clams and set them aside, and do not cook them again until the very end. Render the diced salt pork slowly in the pot over a low heat until it gives up its fat and the pieces crisp.
- Lift out the crisp pieces and reserve them for the top. Cook the onion and celery in the pork fat until soft and translucent but not coloured, about 10 minutes. Do not brown the vegetables.
- Stir in the flour, if using, and cook it 2 minutes. Flour is optional and disputed: purists thicken with potato starch alone, and many good chowders use a little flour. Add the strained clam liquor, the potatoes, bay and thyme, and simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- Use floury potatoes and cut some smaller than others, so a few break down and thicken the broth naturally. Crush a few potato pieces against the side of the pot with a spoon. Never boil the chowder once dairy is in.
- Season with white pepper and salt, tasting first, because the clam liquor and the pork are both salty. Now take it off the heat and let it stand for an hour, or overnight in the fridge. Serve with the crisp pork scattered on top, a knob of butter melting into it, and oyster crackers.
Technique
- Quahogs are the traditional clam and the large ones are tough, which is why they are chopped.
- Rhode Island clear chowder uses no dairy at all and is a third regional version.
- Common crackers, split and floated on top, are the New England way.
Substitutions
- Good tinned chopped clams with their juice, which is a genuine shortcut.
- Bacon in place of salt pork, which brings smoke the original does not have.
Variations
- Manhattan clam chowder, with tomato and no cream.
- Rhode Island clear chowder, with a clam broth base.
- With corn added, as a corn and clam chowder.
History
A colonial ship’s chowder of salt pork, biscuit and clams; the Boston Evening Post printed a rhymed chowder recipe in 1751.
Frequently asked questions
What is New England clam chowder?
New England clam chowder is a soup & stew from United States: creamy soup of clams, potatoes, and salt pork. A colonial ship’s chowder of salt pork, biscuit and clams; the Boston Evening Post printed a rhymed chowder recipe in 1751.
How long does New England clam chowder take to make?
New England clam chowder takes 30 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in New England clam chowder?
Yes, within limits. Good tinned chopped clams with their juice, which is a genuine shortcut. Bacon in place of salt pork, which brings smoke the original does not have.
What is the most important thing to get right in New England clam chowder?
Chop the clams and set them aside, and do not cook them again until the very end. Render the diced salt pork slowly in the pot over a low heat until it gives up its fat and the pieces crisp.
