New England Clam Chowder

If there is anything I do right and cook right it is my clam chowder recipe. It is requested all the time, we eat it all year round. I know soups can be intimidating to some people and before I started culinary school making soup from scratch was my worst nightmare. Once I actually did it there was nothing hard about it and you'll think so too.

With a recipe like this I always pull out my ingredients and pre measure before I start cooking so I can grab something as soon as I need it with out worrying about it. In culinary terms this is called mise en place, I would recommend doing that with this recipe.

You're going to need: chicken stock, potatoes, butter, bacon, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, flour, clams, half and half, heavy cream, thyme, salt and pepper.

(This is just the run down, there are more detailed instructions in the recipe below.)

Boil your potatoes in clam juice or chicken broth. While they are cooking get your soup going.

In a large pot brown your bacon. Once that is done take the bacon out of the pan and set aside leaving the grease in the bottom of the pan.

Throw your onion, celery and garlic in the pan. Saute them in the bacon grease use your spoon to get the bacon stuff on the bottom of the pan there is a ton of flavor in that. If it gets to dry before the vegetables are done cooking you can add a tablespoon of butter. 

Once your veggies are soft, add your butter and melt it down. Add your flour, this is where you need to watch. You are going to create a rue. Stir the flour and butter constantly about 2 minutes, do not let it brown. While you're stirring that, whisk in your chick broth and clam juice. Once that is heated stir in the rest of your ingredients

Add the heavy cream 15 minutes before serving. 

This is a awesome recipe and I know you will love it.

It is prefect for cold winter nights, or in our case hot summer nights. Hope you like it!

(If you like what you see please like my face book page to the right)

New England Clam Chowder

46 ounces can clam juice, or chicken stock. 

4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" cube

1/2 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp butter.

12 slices bacon, raw and chopped

6 cups onion, diced

3 cups celery, diced

8 cloves garlic, minced

4 bay leaves

1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

4-5 cans chopped clams, drained and juices reserved  (I buy 6.5 oz cans)

4 cups half and half

2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp thyme leaf

Salt and pepper 

Bring 46 ounces clam juice or chicken stock and potatoes to a boil in a large sauce pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat.

While potatoes are cooking, cook bacon in a heavy large pot over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon pieces and drain on a paper towel.

Add to bacon fat, onions,celery, and garlic. Saute until they soften about 10 minutes. Add some butter if needed to moisten the vegetables during saute.

Add butter and melt, stirring. Gradually stir in flour. Cook 2-5 minutes to create a rue, do not allow flour to brown.

Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice and chicken stock.  Whisk until smooth and bubbly.

Add potato mixture (broth and all), clams, half and half, bacon pieces, thyme and bay leaves. Simmer chowder 20-30 minutes to blend flavors, stirring frequently. 

Add heavy cream 15 minutes before serving. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot and enjoy.

*This recipe is a full batch and will make about 2 gallons. I always half it and it's prefect for dinner and lunch the next day.

*This is one of those things that taste even better the day after so it makes great left overs.

*You can adjust the clams to your liking. We use 4- 6.5 ounce cans for half a batch because we love clams but you can add more or less, what ever you like.

Printable Version