Hearty Seaside Bliss: Authentic New England Clam Chowder Recipe

Jim’s New England Clam Chowder

🕒 Cook Time: 30 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour
🥣 Yield: 5 Quarts
🌟 Rating: 5 Stars
📝 Description: After years of watching my New England relatives try to perfect their versions of this venerable seaside staple and several morphs and versions of my own, this has become my favorite. It yields a hearty delicious chowder that is not too thick. It is also forgiving enough that you can tweak it a bit to make it more healthy. For parties, I make this recipe as follows then place it in a crock pot on low. Guests eat it all day and there are never any leftovers!

Ingredients:

• 1 can clams
• 3 Red Bliss potatoes
• 6 potatoes
• 3 slices salt pork
• 1/2 cup celery ribs
• 1 large onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Instructions:

1. Prepare Salt Pork: Dice the salt pork into small cubes. Slice it into a grid while it is still attached to the skin, then slice across the skin where it attaches to the fat and the cubes pop off easily.

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2. Sauté Salt Pork: Sauté the salt pork in a large 5-quart non-stick saucepan until the cubes are golden brown. Strain them from the rendered fat onto a paper bag to drain. Save 4 tablespoons of the liquid fat from the salt pork, then wipe out the saucepan with a paper towel. Put the fat back in the saucepan.

3. Prepare Onion and Celery: Dice the large onion into small pieces. Slice the celery ribs lengthwise then dice them into small pieces. Place the diced onion and celery into the heated pork fat and sauté until the onions are opaque and the celery is a bit soft.

4. Simmer Clams: Pour the entire can of clams (broth and all) into the onion/celery mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the rosemary into the clam broth mixture.

5. Prepare Potatoes: Peel the Maine potatoes OR scrub the Red Bliss potatoes. Cut them into 3/4-inch cubes and soak them in cold water for about five minutes.

6. Prepare Roux: Melt the stick of butter in a small saucepan. Add the 3 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and stir until well blended.

7. Combine Ingredients: Drain the potatoes and place them into the clam mixture, simmer until al dente. Pour the milk into the simmering clam broth mixture and bring back to a simmer. Swirl the butter/flour roux into the chowder and simmer for about 10 more minutes until the chowder thickens.

8. Serve: Remove the rosemary and serve this chowder in big bowls with oyster crackers and the pieces of golden brown pork fat, salt and pepper to taste.

9. Notes: If you prefer a thinner chowder, adjust the butter/flour mixture accordingly. You may skip the butter and use a low-fat margarine. You may also substitute skim milk or skip the milk altogether for a Point Judith/Rhode Island style chowder. Additionally, for a healthier recipe, you may skip the whole pork fat step.

This chowder is so hearty that it stands up well to “healthier alternative” substitutions. Enjoy the taste of New England in every spoonful! 🥄