American🥣 Soups & stews

New England Clam Chowder

Name: New England Clam Chowder
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 250 g white onion; 200 g celery; 200 g fennel; 20 g garlic; 1200 g russet potatoes; 150 g thick cut bacon; 4 cans canned minced clams; 500 g bottled clam juice; ~3 tbsp olive oil; 50 g unsalted butter; 100 g dry white wine; 700 g whole milk; 2 bay leaves; 15 g cornstarch; to taste salt

⏱ 45 min

A thoroughly tested New England style clam chowder featuring canned minced clams, fresh aromatics, and potatoes in a creamy milk-based broth. The soup is partially blended to achieve a velvety texture while maintaining a clean, briny ocean flavor without being overly thick.

Adapted from a video by Brian Lagerstrom

2 Very Good Clam Chowder Recipes

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

white onion250 g
celery200 g
fennel200 g
garlic20 g
russet potatoes1200 g
thick cut bacon150 g
canned minced clams180g per can4 cans
bottled clam juice500 g
olive oil~3 tbspest.
unsalted butter50 g
dry white wine

Steps

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1
Prepare all ingredients by dicing the onion, celery, fennel, and potatoes (cut potatoes into approximately ½ inch cubes). Freeze bacon for about 10 minutes, then dice into small pieces. Drain the canned clams, reserving the juice and meat separately—you should get about 300g clam juice and 325g clam meat.
2
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced bacon and stir gently, rendering it for about 5 to 7 minutes without allowing it to brown.
3
Add butter, diced onions, celery, fennel, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften—do not allow them to brown or caramelize.
4
Pour in the dry white wine and cook until it reduces and evaporates, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
5
Add the reserved clam juice from the cans (300g), bottled clam juice (500g), milk (700g), bay leaves, and a pinch of salt. Mix cornstarch (15g) with a little water to create a slurry and stir it into the pot. The cornstarch helps prevent the milk from curdling when heated.
6
Add the diced potatoes and stir gently. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are tender but still have a slight bite. Keep the temperature at or below boiling to prevent the milk from splitting.
7
Ladle about one quart (roughly one liter) of soup into a blender and blend for about 90 seconds to 1.5 minutes until smooth and creamy. This creates a silky texture without the need for extra cream.
8
Pour the blended soup back into the pot and stir gently to combine. Add the drained clam meat (325g) and stir once more.
9
Taste the chowder and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. The consistency should be appropriately thick—creamy and full-bodied but not overly heavy or gloppy, with a distinct briny clam flavor coming through.
10
Ladle into bowls and garnish with oyster crackers and freshly cracked black pepper before serving.

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

Steps

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