New England Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder Say it: noo ING-lund clam CHOW-der
New England clam chowder is a creamy, chunky soup of clams, potatoes, onion, and smoky pork, finished with milk and cream. It is a signature dish of coastal New England, served in homes and waterfront restaurants, often as a warming starter or a hearty main meal. The broth tastes briny from the clams, savory from salt pork or bacon, and gently sweet from the potatoes. A proper bowl is thick enough to coat a spoon but still fluid, with tender clam pieces and soft potato cubes.
New England Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder
Pronounced noo ING-lund clam CHOW-der
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Chowder
To serve
Method
In a heavy pot over medium heat, cook the salt pork or bacon until the fat renders and the pieces are crisp and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the crisp pieces to a paper towel with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot (add a little butter if the pot is dry).
Add the butter and onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until it coats the onion and smells lightly toasted.
Pour in the bottled clam juice or water and the reserved clam juices, scraping up any browned bits. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover partly and cook at a low simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 18 minutes. Mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken the broth.
Stir in the milk and cream and heat gently until steaming, but do not let the chowder boil. Add the chopped clams and cook just until firm and heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and pepper, keeping in mind the pork and clams are already salty. If the chowder seems too thick, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Ladle into warm bowls, scatter the reserved crisp pork and parsley over the top, and serve with oyster crackers.
Regional variant: Manhattan Clam Chowder
Omit the milk, cream, and flour. Sauté the salt pork or bacon with the onion plus 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 small carrot, and 1/2 green bell pepper; add 1 can (14.5 oz/410 g) crushed tomatoes, 2 cups (480 ml) clam juice, the potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf, and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the chopped clams at the end and season with salt and pepper.
Cook's notes
- Keep the chowder below a boil once the milk and cream go in; boiling can make the dairy grainy.
- Add the clams at the very end and heat them only until firm, or they turn rubbery.
- For a thicker chowder without flour, mash more potatoes; for a thinner one, stir in extra clam juice or milk.
Serve with
Oyster crackers, crusty bread, and a crisp white wine or lager.
Make ahead and storage
Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days; reheat gently without boiling and add a splash of milk if the chowder has thickened.
