New England Clam Chowder
A thick, creamy soup of clams, potato, salt pork and thyme — chowder's northern answer to a cold Atlantic evening.
Origin & history
Chowder descends from French fish stews and English fishing-village cooking; by the eighteenth century it was established in New England. The Manhattan version with tomatoes is a nineteenth-century immigrant adaptation, and the rivalry is still fierce. Milk-thickened chowder is the older New England form, with crackers as a traditional thickener.
Ingredients
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The method
Step by step
- 01
Render the pork
8 minRender the salt pork or bacon in a heavy pot until crisp, then remove and set aside, leaving the fat.
- 02
Soften the vegetables
8 minCook the onion and celery in the fat for 6 minutes, then stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes.
- 03
Add potatoes and liquor
15 minAdd the potatoes, clam liquor (strained), thyme and bay leaf with enough water to just cover. Simmer 15 minutes until the potato is tender.
- 04
Add the clams
3 minStir in the chopped clams and simmer very gently for 3 minutes — no longer, or they turn rubbery.
Add clams last; they need only the briefest cook.
- 05
Cream it
5 minWarm the milk and cream separately, then stir into the pot off the boil. Season with salt and white pepper.
Never boil after the dairy goes in or the chowder will split.
- 06
Rest and serve
10 minRest 10 minutes for the flavours to settle, then serve with the crisp pork and oyster crackers.
Chef tips
- — Warm the milk before adding so the soup does not curdle.
- — Chowder is better the next day, but reheat gently.
Common mistakes
- — Boiling after adding dairy.
- — Overcooking clams until they are tough.
Substitutions
- Fresh clams → Good-quality tinned clamsUse their liquor and reduce added salt.
- Double cream → Extra whole milkLighter but less silky.
Storage & serving
Refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat without boiling.
Serve with oyster crackers and a crisp green salad.
Food safety
Clams should smell of the sea; discard any that stay open before cooking. Reheat to 74°C.
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