Clam Chowder : Comfort Food with Chef-Level Flavor

Chef Mike
1 day ago
2 min read

“Restaurant-quality chowder at home”

Some things I love about clam chowder: It’s rich, comforting, and very tasty. You have to balance the brinyness of the seafood with creamy texture finishing with aromatics. You don’t want it too thick, too bland, or overloaded with cream. Some things you will need to focus on are:

Clams Clams should taste fresh and slightly sweet—not too much dairy. Using quality canned clams with their juice (or fresh is best) is critical.

CreamCream is important, but it shouldn’t dominate. The base should start with aromatics and I personally use a roux to bring everything together.

Seasoning Thyme, bay leaf, a little acidity, and a finishing salt or lemon.

New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

4 slices bacon diced 2 tbsp butter 1 small onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour 2 cups clam juice (from canned clams or bottled)
1 cup chicken stock 2 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams (reserve liquid)
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced small 1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk 1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme Salt + black pepper to taste

Finish:

1 tbsp lemon juice (or a squeeze to taste) or dry white wine
Fresh parsley, chopped Optional: finishing salt or citrus herb salt

Instructions

In a heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot. Add butter, then sauté onion, celery and garlic . Stir in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw taste. Slowly whisk in clam juice and chicken stock. Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add clams, cream, and milk. Simmer gently (don’t let it boil) for another 5–7 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Top with bacon oyster crackers and fresh parsley