Clam chowder is a creamy soup that super popular and amazing in New England. There, being next to the Atlantic Ocean, it is made with fresh clams. Since we don’t have access to fresh clams like New England does, canned clams are used. It is still delicious, but nothing can compare to the freshness and expertise of the regional dish.
In Wisconsin, clam chowder is popular to be served at supper clubs and restaurant, mainly on Friday nights. It is such a delicious, rich, hearty soup that warms the body from head to toe.
This recipe for New England clam chowder is easy to make in less than an hour and only uses one large Dutch oven. It’s enough to feed a hungry family and is a great leftover for tomorrow’s lunch.
New England clam chowder is great served hot and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Print Recipe
New England Clam Chowder
Equipment
- large dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1/2 LB Bacon
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Celery, diced
- 1 cup Yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 2 cups Yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 6.5 oz cans Clams, chopped or minced
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup Milk, 2%
- Green onions
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat.
- Once bacon is crispy, remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess grease. Do not drain grease from the dutch oven.
- Melt butter in the dutch oven with the bacon grease.
- Add celery, onions, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables until tender.
- Dust the vegetables with flour and stir to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the chicken broth into the dutch oven and stir, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck flour or brown bits from the vegetables.
- Add the bay leaf, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and sea salt. Stir to combine and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken the base.
- Using a small strainer, pour the clam juice from the cans of chopped clams to the dutch oven. Reserve the clams to be added later.
- Add the diced potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Once the potatoes are tender, add the heavy cream, milk, and clams.
- Turn off the heat and stir to combine. If the chowder is very thick at this point, more milk can be added to thin the base.
- Stir in half of the chopped crispy bacon to the chowder. The other half of the bacon will be for garnish.
- Serve immediately garnished with chopped bacon and green onions.
