Creamy soup with clams, potatoes, and bacon in a rich, comforting broth from the Northeastern United States.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 pounds fresh clams such as littlenecks, or 2 cups canned chopped clams with juice
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, finely diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced, approximately 2 cups
05 - 1 clove garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
→ Dairy
07 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Broth and Liquids
10 - 2 cups bottled clam juice or reserved juice from canned clams
11 - 1 cup water
→ Meat
12 - 4 ounces salt pork or thick-cut bacon, diced
→ Seasonings
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Thickener
16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
# How-To Steps:
01 - If using fresh clams, scrub them thoroughly. Combine clams with 1 cup water in a large pot. Cover and steam over medium heat until shells open, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any clams that fail to open. Remove clams from shells, strain and reserve cooking liquid, then chop clam meat and set aside.
02 - In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook diced salt pork or bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and meat becomes crisp. Remove cooked meat with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
03 - Add butter to the pot with reserved fat. Sauté diced onion and celery until soft but not browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
04 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir continuously and cook for 2 minutes to create a roux, stirring to eliminate lumps.
05 - Slowly whisk in clam juice including reserved liquid from step 1, whole milk, and heavy cream. Stir thoroughly to prevent lumps from forming.
06 - Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and dried thyme to the pot. Simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
07 - Add chopped clams with reserved juice or canned clams and the reserved cooked bacon or salt pork. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding clams.
08 - Remove bay leaf from the soup. Stir in fresh chopped parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
09 - Ladle hot chowder into bowls and serve immediately with oyster crackers or crusty bread.
