Clam Chowder Recipe
This Clam Chowder Recipe features a creamy broth loaded with clams, bacon, and potatoes, perfect for a comforting meal.
Equipment
- 4.5-quart soup pot
Ingredients
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon can sub salt pork
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce or ½ teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 3 cups Half and Half
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 1 leaf bay
- 1 ¼ lbs. potatoes see notes
- 3 (6.5 oz.) cans chopped clams juices reserved
- Fresh parsley for serving
- Freshly cracked pepper for serving
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Prep Work
- Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. While the bacon cooks, measure out remaining ingredients. Once cooked, set aside on a paper towel lined plate, chop once cooled, and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
- Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can, as that will add flavor to the soup.
Make the Soup
- Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat and clean the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the diced onions and celery, toss to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously, and wipe the pan clean as you do so. Add the half and half in the same manner.
- Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup but don’t add the clams yet. Stir in the additional clam juice.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered, stirring occasionally.
- Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Cook the potatoes through for 20-25 minutes until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the clams and let them heat through for about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.
Notes
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days. The longer this soup simmers, the thicker it gets, allowing you to control the consistency.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 281kcal
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