Is there anything better than a warm bowl of thick, creamy chowder on a cold day? It’s really hard to beat. New England is known for this hearty meal and living in Maine, chowder is always on the menu. This was my first time making clam chowder and I don’t know why I’ve avoided it for so long because it came out wicked good! Andrew even compared it to Gilbert’s Chowder House, which is the only place he’ll order chowder from. I took a little of this and a little of that from a lot of different recipes and the result was something that will be made again and again. Love when that happens!
When I was looking at different recipes I learned about the origin/history of this New England dish. You know me, I love to share some fun facts. 🙂 So, the word chowder actually comes from French chaudière (“cauldron”) and chowder is thought to have originated among Breton fishermen. They later brought the custom with them to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Chowder recipes made their way down the coast to Massachusetts in the 1700s where the version we love today was first served. Ye Olde Union Oyster House in Boston is thought to be the first restaurant to feature clam chowder on the menu and is still serving up steamy bowls today.
The whole French connection is super funny to me because Andrew would quote a particular Simpsons episode to our French friends about the pronunciation of chowder.
New England Clam Chowder
Ingredients:
- 4 6.5 oz. cans chopped/minced clams in clam juice ( I used 2 of each kind)
- 8 ounces clam juice
- 8 thick center-cut bacon strips chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes peeled and diced into ¼-½” cubes, approx. 3 ½ cups (see note)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup half and half
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Drain clam juice from cans and bottled clam juice into a measuring cup. It should be about 2 ½ cups. Set aside. Measure out your dairy so that it can come up in temperature a bit. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and slightly brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Keep about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in your pot, discard the rest. (or add to your bacon fat jar) Melt in 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.
- Increase heat to medium high, add celery and onion. Sauté until onions are soft. Add in potatoes, sauté for just a few seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook an additional minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in water, reserved clam juice, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Use a masher to break up some of the potatoes if needed.
- While your chowder is simmering, finely chop up your cooked bacon. Add into pot after 15 minutes.
- Slowly, stir in heavy cream and half and half. Slow and steady is the key to not have any sort of curdle. Bring to a simmer to heat through. Discard bay leaves.
- Remove from heat and stir in clams. Taste and add salt/pepper as needed. (You may or may not need additional salt depending on how salty your clams and bacon are.)
Serve with oyster crackers or some crusty bread and maybe a side salad to get some veggies in.
Note: This is a thick New England chowder so russet potatoes are used to aid in that. They tend to break down better than a waxier potato. If you want your potatoes to stay chunky use a red or yellow potato instead.
I hope you enjoy this chowder as much as we did! Say it right…chowdah! 🙂
