Clam Chowder

 

The weather was very cold, and they were forecasting a snow/ice storm. I wanted to fix a warm meal that would last us a couple of days and one that I hadn’t made before. I thought of clam chowder (I had only had it once before and wanted to try to make it). I found a recipe and quickly went through my pantry and had most of the stuff on hand to make it. Just like all other recipes I find I give it to my husband, and he makes some changes.

 

Trying to keep this recipe budget friendly, we had some ham hocks in the freezer that needed be used, so we substituted them for the bacon. I also had some carrots, so we added a few of those. When I was prepping my veggies for the chowder, I decided to use red potatoes, and I left the skin on them. I feel like red potatoes have a little more flavor to them. The type of potatoes that you use depends on your taste preference and what you have at your house.

 

Alot of the recipes called for clam juice in addition to the juice from the cans of clams. To help keep our costs down and my husband was worried that the chowder would taste too clammy we opted to not add any extra clam juice. The chowder tasted amazing. I think next time I make it I won’t add any extra clam juice either. If you want your chowder to have more of a clam taste, then I would suggest adding some extra clam juice to your recipe.

 

What is Clam Chowder?

Clam chowder is a rich, creamy soup that features clams as the main ingredient, along with potatoes, onions, celery and bacon or salt pork. This popular and hearty soup has a rich history and several regional variations. It is believed to have been introduced by French, Nova Scotian, or British settlers in the Maritime Provinces of Canada and New England in the 18th century. Over time, it became a staple in coastal communities, evolving into different regional variations. It has been a staple in coastal areas especially the Northeast, where seafood is abundant.

 

Types of Clam Chowder

There are three primary types of clam chowder, each with its own unique flavor profile and ingredients: New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder and Rhode Island Clam Chowder. The type of chowder we made is the New England Clam Chowder.

 

 

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder is perhaps the most well-known version. It is characterized by its creamy, white broth made with milk or cream. Key ingredients include clams, potatoes, onions, celery, bacon or salt pork. This chowder is thick and hearty, often served with oyster crackers.

 

Manhattan Clan Chowder

Manhattan Clam Chowder is a tomato-based chowder with a thinner broth. It has a more vegetable flavor and often includes carrots and green peppers.

 

 

Rhode Island Clan Chowder

Rhode Island Clam Chowder is a clear broth chowder without dairy or tomatoes. This highlights the briny flavor of the clams.

 

Making Clam Chowder at Home

Creating clam chowder at home was a surprisingly easy process and it allowed us to customize the flavors to our liking. Here's the recipe we used to make our New England Clam Chowder.

 

Ingredients

  • 2 10.5-ounce cans of clams (save the juice for later)
  • 6 slices of bacon (we used ham hocks instead of bacon)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1 cup of diced carrots (optional)
  • 2 cups of diced red potatoes
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (this adds flavor and doesn’t make your soup spicy)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1.8 teaspoon pepper

 

Instructions

  1. Cook the Bacon: In a Dutch Oven or pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, save about 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
  2. Sauté Vegetables: Add the butter and bacon drippings to the pot. Next, add onion and celery to the pot and sauté until soft about 5-6 minutes. Add the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and seasonings (optional ½ teaspoon oregano and parsley, ¼ teaspoon thyme and salt, and ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika and pepper). Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes or until the raw flour smell is gone.
  3. Add Potatoes and Liquid: Add potatoes, reserved clam juice and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then cook on low for about 15- 20 minutes. We like our potatoes to be al dente, so we cook them for about 15 minutes.
  4. Add Clams and Cream: Stir in the clams, milk, and minced garlic. Heat gently, being careful not to boil, until warmed through. This should take about 5 minutes.
  5. Season and Serve: Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

 

Notes:

  • Clams: I used 2 10.5-ounce cans of whole clams, diced them and saved the juice. We felt like this was a great amount clam juice. If you want more of a clam taste, you can always add clam juice.
  • Carrots: I added some carrots to my chowder, because we had them at the house and they needed to get used.
  • Potatoes: I opted for red potatoes and left the skin on. I prefer to use red potatoes in my chowders and soups because I like how they hold up and I feel like skin adds flavor and texture.
  • This chowder pairs really well with my cheddar biscuits.

Enjoy your homemade clam chowder with our home-made cheddar biscuits, crusty bread or oyster crackers for a satisfying meal!