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New England Clam Chowder

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One of America’s most famous dishes, get ready to enjoy a bowl of pure comfort!  This New England Clam Chowder recipe gets bumped up several flavor notches and will have you coming back for seconds!

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The concept of chowder goes back several centuries.  Chowders were introduced to the United States during its early years of settlement and the oldest published recipe we know about, for fish chowder, was printed in 1751.  What we call New England Clam Chowder today was the earliest and most popular variety of clam chowder (known as Boston Clam Chowder in the Midwest) and it was a contribution of French and British settlers.  By the 18th century it was a household staple and has remained one of New England’s most famous and beloved dishes.

Today, New England Clam Chowder is still served at Ye Olde Union Oyster House in Boston, the nation’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, where it has been on the menu since 1836.

Variations of New England clam chowder exist throughout the region and, depending on where you are, the consistency can be thin or thick.  Additionally, although it is generally regarded a cardinal sin to add tomatoes, there are some who insist on adding just enough to turn the color a pretty pink.  In 1939, the state legislature of Maine decided it had had enough of this sacrilege and tried passing a bill that would make the inclusion of tomatoes in clam chowder illegal.  It didn’t pass.

Notwithstanding some debated variations, what distinguishes New England clam chowder is the absence of tomatoes and the inclusion of milk or cream, potatoes, onion and clams, and its common accompaniment of oyster crackers that are either crushed and added to the soup as a thickener or sprinkled on top.

In the words of American novelist Joseph C. Lincoln:

A New England clam chowder, made as it should be, is a dish to preach about, to chant praises and sing hymns and burn incense before. To fight for. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought for–or on–clam chowder; part of it at least, I am sure it was.  It is as American as the Stars and Stripes, as patriotic as the national Anthem. It is ‘Yankee Doodle in a kettle.’

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An excellent New England Clam Chowder uses few and simple ingredients but the quality of these ingredients is key.  Use the freshest produce, the best cream.  Salt pork was traditionally used but in more recent decades it has been replaced by bacon.  The smokiness of bacon can tend to overpower the delicate flavors of the clam chowder and for that reason I recommend Italian pancetta.  Unlike bacon pancetta it is dry-cured, not smoked, and contributes an incredible, complex flavor that is complementary instead of overpowering.

Using quality ingredients also means using the finest fish broth, something that was used in many of the earliest known clam chowder recipes.  Set the clam juice aside and instead reach for fish broth which will give your chowder a much richer and satisfying flavor.

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For the finest fish stock I’m using my favorite brand, Aneto.  Based in Barcelona, Spain, Aneto’s premium broths are made the same way you would make them in your own kitchen:  The freshest seafood and vegetables are added to large pots and slow simmered for hours before the broth poured into cartons for selling.  The ingredients include Monkfish, Cod, Tomato, Onion, Carrot, Fennel, Leek, Celery, Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Sea Salt.  Nothing else.  No concentrates, powders, artificial ingredients, GMO’s, fillers or flavor enhancers of any kind.  Just pure, whole, real ingredients.  We highly recommend it.

I also love to use Aneto’s fish broth in a variety of pho and Asian soups and also for making a quick and easy seafood bouillabaisse! Aneto’s 100% Natural Premium Fish Broth can be purchased here on Amazon or in select stores across the U.S..  Note, the broths are significantly cheaper on Amazon if you buy them in bulk (6-pack).

We had the opportunity to tour their factory from top to bottom, watch the broth-making process from start to finish, and were absolutely blown away by the beauty and simplicity of how they create their broths.  In the world of broth manufacturers, Aneto is truly unique and their broth-making process is one of the most encouraging and inspiring things I’ve witnessed.  Come read about it and  take our virtual tour of the world’s most remarkable broth manufacturer.

If you’re a fan of New England Clam Chowder then you know from experience that too often they’re either ultra thick and gloppy or the binding between the fat and carbs has broken and you end up with a watery soup with oil droplets all over in it.

Not so with this recipe.  This New England Clam Chowder tackles those problems and the result is a perfectly silky-smooth and creamy texture with wonderfully balanced flavors that will make you sigh with comfort.

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New England Clam Chowder Recipe

Let’s get started!

Slice the pancetta (or bacon if using) into thin strips.  Fry in a medium stock pot until crispy then remove with a slotted spoon, leaving about a tablespoon of the grease in the pot.

cooking the bacon or pancetta

Add the butter to the pot along with the onions, celery and garlic.  Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened but not browned.  Add the flour, stir to combine and cook for a minute.

cooking the onions celery and garlic and adding flour

Add the broth and white wine, stirring to prevent the flour from clumping, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.  Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and half of the pancetta.

Simmer the chowder for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are extremely tender.  Discard the bay leaves.

adding the broth and remaining ingredients

The consistency is right when the potatoes are so soft that some have begun to fall apart.  If you prefer the chowder to be thicker or less chunky, use an immersion blender (or transfer 1 cup of the chowder to a blender) puree just a small portion of it.

using an immersion blender to blend the soup

Add the clams, cream and parsley and heat through for another 5 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

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Serve sprinkled with the remaining pancetta, fresh parsley and oyster crackers.

Enjoy!

new england clam chowder recipe best authentic traditional original bacon pancetta creamy fish broth aneto

new england clam chowder recipe best authentic traditional original bacon pancetta creamy fish broth aneto

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New England Clam Chowder

Perfectly silky-smooth and creamy with deliciously balanced flavors, get ready to enjoy a hot bowl of pure comfort!
4.95 from 130 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/4 pound pancetta, cut into thin strips (highly recommended but if you can't find pancetta use bacon)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 34 ounce carton (4 cups) Aneto 100% All-Natural Fish Broth
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (e.g., sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, chardonnay)
  • 5 cups starchy potatoes (e.g. russets), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 30 quahogs, e.g. cherrystone clams (OR three 6 1/2 ounce canned clams, drained)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parlsey
  • Oyster crackers for serving
  • Chopped fresh parsley for serving

Instructions
 

  • *If using fresh clams: Place the clams and 4 cups water in a stock pot and bring it to a boil. Cook just until the clams have opened, about 8-10 minutes. After 10 minutes, discard any unopened clams. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked clams, let them cool, then remove the meat and roughly chop it.  Set aside.
    *If using canned clams, save them until step 5.
  • Fry the pancetta in a medium stock pot until crispy then remove with a slotted spoon, leaving about a tablespoon of the grease in the pot.
  • Add the butter to the pot along with the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the flour, stir to combine and cook for a minute.
  • Add the broth and white wine, stirring to prevent the flour from clumping, and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and half of the pancetta.  Simmer the chowder for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are extremely tender. The consistency is right when the potatoes are so soft that some have begun to fall apart. If you prefer the chowder to be thicker or less chunky, discard the bay leaves and use an immersion blender (or transfer 1 cup of the chowder to a blender) puree just a small portion of it.  
  • Add the clams, cream and parsley and heat through for 5 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately sprinkled with the remaining pancetta, fresh parsley and oyster crackers.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 8gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 785mgPotassium: 869mgFiber: 5gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 950IUVitamin C: 25.7mgCalcium: 94mgIron: 6.2mg
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American, New England
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Restaurant sign cropped and used courtesy of Sayamindu Dasgupta via CC licensing

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




4.95 from 130 votes (74 ratings without comment)

128 Comments

  1. I am dying to try this broth! I’m always in search of the very best ingredients and typically end up buying them on Amazon. This is what I’m going to do with this broth!

  2. Ahhhh Delish!!! What an amazing assortment of yummy broths! I live in Utah and we don’t have much of a selection of seafood broths and spices. I had Paella once and absolutely loved it! I would love the opportunity to create a few dishes with Aneto’s broths and recipes. They all sound yummy! I think my favorite to try would be Aneto’s Seafood Paella and Fish Broth!

  3. Of course I would like to try them all, but if I had to choose, I suppose I would pick the chicken, as it could be used in many recipes. They are not available in the suburbs of Chicago. Probably will order through Amazon as a 100 mile round trip to pick up some chicken broth in Chicago would not be economically smart.
    SWMBO is a picky eater. I would love to make a Paella but I would be the only one eating it. Leftovers for two weeks?

  4. Creamy clam chowder is our family favorite. I usually use homemade chicken broth and clam nectar. However, I am interested in trying the Aneto’s fish broth, since it has real ingredients and I don’t need a translator to be sure of it!

  5. Hi! This soup looks absolutely amazing! I’d like to try Aneto’s broths because they are fresh and don’t have any fillers or anything in them. I’d like to try the fish broth so I can make this soup!

  6. Why would you like to try Aneto’s broths and which one are you most interested in trying? The Seafood Paella of course. And I would also like to compare this to the Better than Bouillon flavors which I use all of the time because of low sodium and no MSG factors. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to make it. It sounds and looks delicious.

  7. I would love to compare these to Better Than Bullion as the flavors offered are just begging for creative uses! I would be very enthused about the fish flavor…living in Wyoming, there are no fresh fish markets from which to buy heads, etc. For making stock. Thanks for this contest!

  8. The recipe sounds amazing!
    I would really love to try the Aneto broths. I do make my own when I have time, but it doesn’t happen as often as I would wish. Finding a commercial broth that is truly made as one would in the home would be a godsend to me, especially the fish an paella ones.

  9. I am always interested in try new products, The Aneto Seafood Paella and Fish Broth sound
    yummi and I think I will buy them as soon as I find where they are sold.

  10. All of the broths look wonderful but I’m especially interested in the fish broth as I can’t seem to find it in any of my local stores.

  11. This recipe really does “kick it up a notch”. I’ve been making clam chowder for decades, since I live in the Pacific Northwest (Canada). I generally make my own broths from scratch, mostly because I then know exactly what’s in them :) I’d love to try the paella broth (paella and clam chowder are a tie for first place in my culinary choices!)
    Love your inspiring recipes.