Clam Chowder Recipe
User Reviews
5
Clam Chowder Recipe
Description
This Clam Chowder Recipe starts by slowly rendering bacon or salt pork for a smoky base, then sautés diced onion, celery, and garlic mixed with hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dried herbs. Flour is cooked in to form a roux before gradually adding chicken broth, half and half, clam juice, and seasonings. Potatoes and canned chopped clams complete the chowder.
The soup develops a rich and layered flavor with the smoky bacon fat, aromatic spices, and the subtle heat from the hot sauce, which is designed to enhance flavor without adding spiciness. Yukon Gold or red potatoes are preferred for their creamy texture and ability to hold shape. The chowder thickens as it simmers, allowing control over the final consistency.
This chowder is well-suited to serve with crusty bread for dipping. It can be refrigerated up to 3-5 days in an airtight container. Fresh clams may be substituted with approximately 1 cup chopped fresh clams and 1.5 cups clam juice if preferred. The recipe yields about 9 cups of chowder.
Ingredients
- 6 Bacon can sub salt pork, thick-cut strips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion diced, medium
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or ½ tsp tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups half and half
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ lbs. potato see notes
- 3 clam juices reserved, chopped, 6.5 oz. cans
- parsley for serving, fresh parsley; freshly cracked pepper
- black pepper for serving, fresh parsley; freshly cracked pepper
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon EACH: oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon EACH: parsley dried
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: thyme dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: salt dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon EACH: smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon EACH: black pepper
Instructions
Prep Work
- Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. (I cut my bacon in half, it’s easier to fit it in the pan and have it cook evenly.) While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once the bacon is cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
- Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.
Make the Soup
- Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the diced onions and celery. Toss to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously, and wiping the pan “clean” again as you do so. Add the half and half in the same manner.
- Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup, but don’t add the clams yet. Stir in the additional ( 8 oz.) clam juice.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer, so that its just gently bubbling. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
- Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Bring back to a very gentle bubble and let the potatoes cook through for 20-25 minutes, until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the clams and let them heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
- Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.
Notes
- Use Yukon Gold or red potatoes for creaminess and good texture; Russets may fall apart more easily.
- Fresh clams can substitute canned: use 1 cup chopped fresh clams with 1.5 cups clam juice after steaming and cleaning.
- Bacon provides smoky flavor; salt pork can be used as an alternative.
- Simmer longer before adding potatoes to concentrate flavor; do not overcook potatoes as they can become mushy.
- Hot sauce and Worcestershire add subtle umami without spiciness.
- Store soup in airtight container, refrigerated up to 3-5 days.
- Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 9cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 281 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 281kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 498mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 461mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 460IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 107mg | 11% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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