New England Clam Chowder
This easy homemade New England clam chowder is a classic creamy soup. It tastes the best made with smoky bacon, tender clams, and diced potatoes. This simple soup is comforting, and guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for a bowl of comfort food on a cold winter night.
Servings: 10 cups
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon crumbled
- 2 cups yellow onion finely chopped
- 1¼ cups celery finely diced
- 1¼ cups carrots finely diced (optional)
- 4½ cups yellow or red potatoes peeled and cubed
- 3 tablespoon bacon grease reserved from frying the bacon
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups clam juice Bar Harbor brand
- 2 cups filtered water
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2½ cup evaporated milk
- 2 10-ounce cans whole baby clams
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped
- 1 cup oyster crackers
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, turning the slices once or twice with a fork. This should take 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, and keep 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Let the bacon cool, then break into smaller pieces.
- In a 6-quart Dutch oven set over medium high heat, saute the carrots, onion, and celery in the bacon grease for roughly 8 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, then cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Gradually add the clam juice, stirring continuously, then pour in the water, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so the potatoes won't stick to the bottom of the pot. The chowder will start to thicken from the potato starch.
- Reduce the heat to low, remove the bay leaf and thyme, then add the cream, milk, and whole baby clams. Stir gently and let the the milk and clams heat through, roughly 5 minutes. Be careful not to boil the chowder.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the crumbled bacon. Reserve some for a garnish. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Serve the New England clam chowder warm with fresh parsley and oyster crackers.
Crock Pot Instructions
- Follow steps 1-2 from the stovetop instructions.
- In a large crock pot, add half of the bacon, the sautéed mirepoix, water, diced potatoes, and spices. Stir and cover, then cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- During the last hour, whisk 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1 cup of whole milk to make a slurry. Also remove some of the diced potatoes and mash them. The addition of these two things will help thicken the broth. Mix in the slurry, mashed potatoes, whole milk (1½ cups), heavy cream, and the clams.
- Cook until the diced potatoes are done and the broth has thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Remove the bay leaf and thyme before serving.
- Serve the New England clam chowder warm with a garnish of bacon, parsley, and oyster crackers.
Notes
- Need to make this ahead? Make up to two days ahead of your event. Reheat on medium low on the stovetop.
- Want tender clams? Add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking when using the stovetop method. If you are planning on using fresh clams, look for littlenecks or cherrystone, as they will be more tender than quahogs.
- Need the broth thicker? Increase the flour, or add mashed potatoes, and let it simmer uncovered.
- Want a lighter version? Use olive oil, evaporated milk and omit the bacon.
- Need this dairy free? Omit the butter, whole milk, and heavy cream. Increase the bacon fat and use full fat coconut milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 497mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3293IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg
