Creamy New England Clam Chowder

A rich and comforting New England clam chowder featuring tender clams, smoky bacon, potatoes, and a velvety cream roux base simmered to perfection.

Ingredients

• 500 g clams
• 100 g bacon
• 1 red onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 potato
• 15 g butter
• 15 g flour
• 200 ml milk
• 200 ml heavy cream
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• optional parsley

Instructions

1. 1Blanch the clams

   

   Pour the cleaned clams into a pot of boiling water on the stove and blanch them until their shells open up. Once opened, remove the clam meat and chop it slightly while reserving the flavorful clam broth for later use.

   Tip: Make sure to reserve the clam broth carefully, leaving any sand at the bottom of the pot behind.
2. 2Chop the clam meat

   

   After blanching the clams until their shells pop open, carefully remove the tender meat. Place the clam meat onto a clean cutting board and use a sharp knife to give it a rough chop. Be sure to reserve the flavorful clam broth left in the pot, as it will serve as the rich base for the chowder.

   Tip: Chop the clam meat slightly rather than mincing it too fine, so it retains a pleasant, chewy texture in the final soup.
3. 3Dice the red onion

   

   Peel the red onion, halve it, and place it flat on your cutting board. Using a chefs knife, carefully slice and dice the onion into small, uniform pieces. This diced onion will form a crucial part of the aromatic flavor base, adding a subtle depth and sweetness to the creamy chowder.

   Tip: Keep your knife cuts as uniform as possible so the onion cooks down evenly alongside the other vegetables.
4. 4Chop the celery

   

   Take crisp, fresh celery stalks and trim away the tough ends. Line them up on the cutting board and chop them across into small, even cubes. The diced celery will bring a wonderful aromatic quality and a slight textural contrast to the heartiness of the finished soup.

   Tip: Wash the celery thoroughly before chopping to remove any dirt or grit trapped near the base of the ribs.
5. 5Cut the potato

   

   Take a peeled potato and cut it into small cubes on a clean cutting board. These uniform pieces will cook evenly and add body to the clam chowder soup.

   Tip: Cut the potatoes into even bite-sized cubes so they soften uniformly while simmering.
6. 6Dice the bacon

   

   Slice the bacon into small squares on the cutting board before rendering them in a hot pan. This adds a rich, savory smokiness that forms the aromatic foundation of the dish.

   Tip: Cutting the bacon into uniform squares helps it render fat evenly when placed in the hot pan.
7. 7Melt the butter

   

   Place a piece of butter into a small pot on the stove and let it melt completely over low heat. This forms the base of the roux used to thicken the soup later.

   Tip: Keep the heat low so the butter melts smoothly without burning or browning too quickly.
8. 8Add flour to the butter

   

   Add flour into the melted butter in the pot to start creating the roux. Stir-fry the mixture on low heat until it becomes completely uniform and well combined.

   Tip: Stir continuously on low heat to cook out the raw flour taste and achieve a smooth consistency.
9. 9Pour in milk and heavy cream

   

   Pour milk and heavy cream into the pot containing the butter and flour roux mixture. Continue heating and stirring constantly over the heat until the mixture thickens into a rich cream base.

   Tip: Pour the dairy gradually while stirring to prevent lumps from forming in your roux base.
10. 10Thicken the roux base

    

    Melt the butter and flour together to form a paste, then stir in the milk and heavy cream. Continue to heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it becomes rich, thick, and completely smooth.

    Tip: Stir constantly while heating to prevent lumps from forming and to ensure the milk doesnt scorch the bottom of the pan.
11. 11Fry the bacon

    

    Place the diced bacon into a hot skillet and cook until the fat renders out. Continue frying until the bacon pieces turn deeply browned and crispy.

    Tip: Starting the bacon in a cold or warm pan can help the fat render out more slowly and evenly without burning the meat.
12. 12Sauté the aromatics

    

    Toss the freshly diced onion and celery into the skillet with the crispy bacon. Stir-fry the vegetables in the rendered bacon fat until they become aromatic and slightly softened.

    Tip: Cooking the vegetables directly in the bacon fat builds a rich, smoky foundation of flavor for the chowder.
13. 13Add Diced Potatoes

    

    Add the diced potatoes into the pan with the sautéed bacon, onion, and celery, mixing them thoroughly with the other ingredients.

    Tip: Cut the potatoes into uniform small cubes so they cook evenly and quickly in the soup.
14. 14Pour in Clam Broth

    

    Pour an appropriate amount of clam broth into the pan with the vegetables and bacon, making sure to avoid pouring all of it to leave any residual sand at the bottom of the container behind.

    Tip: Always leave the very bottom of the broth undisturbed to prevent sand or grit from entering the soup.
15. 15Season and simmer

    

    Add the reserved clam broth into the pot with the sautéed ingredients, then season generously with salt and black pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer gently on low heat for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors.

    Tip: When pouring in the clam broth, be careful to leave the last bit in the bowl to avoid transferring any residual sand into your soup.
16. 16Add Milk and Heavy Cream

    

    Pour equal parts of milk and heavy cream (100ml each) into the boiling soup mixture, continuing to heat and stir.

    Tip: Add the dairy gradually and keep the heat moderate to prevent curdling.
17. 17Add Clam Meat

    

    Add the chopped clam meat directly into the simmering creamy soup base.

    Tip: Add the clam meat near the end so it remains tender and does not become rubbery from overcooking.
18. 18Thicken with Roux

    

    Stir the prepared flour roux into the soup and cook until melted, stirring continuously until the soup achieves a rich, thick consistency.

    Tip: Ensure the roux is well-blended without lumps to create a smooth, velvety texture.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions