Clam Chowder
Thick and hearty New England Creamy Clam Chowder, flavored with bacon, onion,, clams, and potatoes for a soup that eats like a meal.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1-51 oz canned clams I get the 3lb canned clams at Costco, you can buy smaller cans and use less if it’s costly or 2 lbs fresh diced clams soak in a cup or more of water with a ½ teaspoon salt.
- 8 oz bacon chopped small
- 1 cup white onion diced small
- 1 cup celery diced small
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoon flour
- 1 quart 32 oz, 4 cups whole milk (or half milk and half heavy cream)
- 6 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth or water and 2-3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 2-4 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Drain canned clams and reserve juice for later, or save the juice if soaking fresh clams.
- In a 5 quart pot.
- Cook bacon in a tablespoon of oil.
- Remove bacon and add onion and celery and stir to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add flour and stir to combine.
- Slowly pour in reserved clam juice and potatoes into the pot.
- Potatoes should be under the liquid, if needed you can add a cup of water.
- Cook potatoes until fork tender.
- Add in the clams, and then slowly pour in the milk or a combination of milk and cream, keeping it at a simmer, not a full rolling boil, cream soups can separate if boiled.
- Simmer until desired thickness.
- Add in the cooked bacon, reserving some bacon for the top of the soup
- Serve with oyster crackers or garlic bread, and fresh parsley is a nice touch too.