Creamy New England Clam Chowder
A rich, creamy New England clam chowder made with fresh steamed clams, smoky bacon, potatoes and half and half. Chef tip: to use canned clams, replace fresh clams with 2-3 small cans of minced clams, omitting the steam-clams section of the ingredients and instructions.
Ingredients
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | water |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | chicken broth |
| 6 cloves | garlic, crushed | |
| 2 lbs | 905 g | fresh, live clams (scrubbed clean) |
| 6 slices | thick cut bacon, diced | |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | onions, finely diced |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | celery, finely diced |
| 1 cup | 240 ml | leeks, finely sliced |
| 4 Tbsp | 60 ml | all-purpose flour |
| 3 cups | 720 ml | red potatoes, diced |
| 3 cups | 720 ml | chicken broth or stock |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | clam juice (bottled is fine) |
| 1 1/2 tsp | 7.5 ml | kosher salt |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | black pepper |
| 3/4 Tbsp | 11 ml | dried thyme |
| 4 | bay leaves | |
| 1 1/2 tsp | 7.5 ml | Tabasco sauce |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | steamed clams, chopped |
| 1 quart (4 cups) | half and half |
Instructions
STEAM THE CLAMS:
- Scrub your clams to get rid of any grit, set aside.
- Bring the water, chicken broth and garlic to a boil. Add the clams, cover, and steam until they open up (around 6-7 minutes).
- If one or two clams don't open up, toss those, they're not good. Drain the clams, scoop out the meat and chop.
CLAM CHOWDER: 4. Over medium-low heat, add a small drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of a large dutch oven. Add bacon pieces and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon (or tongs) to a paper towel lined plate, reserving drippings in the pot. 5. Increase heat to medium and add onion, celery and leeks and sauté about 3-4 minutes, until soft. Add flour and stir to coat vegetables. Cook 1 minute. 6. Add potatoes, chicken broth, clam juice, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and Tabasco sauce. Stir well, then bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering about 15 minutes or so, until potatoes are fork tender. 7. Add half and half to the chowder, along with the chopped clams, and stir well to combine. 8. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring often, about 3-5 minutes, or until heated through and thickened to desired consistency. 9. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve with the cooked bacon and enjoy!