Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb littleneck clams in shells, cleaned 🦪
- 2 cups clam juice (from clams + store-bought) 🧃
- 4 slices bacon, diced 🥓
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 🧅
- 2 stalks celery, diced 🌿
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 🧄
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 🧈
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 🌾
- 3 cups Yukon Gold or red potatoes, peeled and diced 🥔
- 2 cups whole milk 🥛
- 1 cup heavy cream (double cream) 🥛
- 1 bay leaf 🍃
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried) 🌱
- Salt to taste 🧂
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste 🌶️
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 🌿
- Oyster crackers or crusty bread to serve 🥨
Instructions
- Rinse clams under cold water and scrub shells. If using canned clams, reserve juice and skip steaming step.
- In a large pot, add the clams and 1 cup of water. Cover and steam over medium heat until clams open (5–8 minutes). Remove clams with tongs, reserve the cooking liquid, and when cool, remove clams from shells and chop coarsely. Discard any unopened clams.
- Strain the reserved clam steaming liquid into a measuring cup and add store-bought clam juice to reach 2 cups total. Set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
- Add butter to the bacon fat. Sauté onion and celery until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the reserved clam juice, then add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes.
- Lower the heat and stir in the milk and heavy cream. Warm gently — do not boil — until the chowder is heated through and slightly thickened.
- Add the chopped clams and cooked bacon to the pot. Heat gently for 2–3 minutes to combine flavors. Adjust thickness by simmering a few more minutes or thinning with a splash of milk if needed.
- Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
- Ladle chowder into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra bacon if desired. Serve immediately with oyster crackers or crusty bread.
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days; reheat gently on the stovetop without boiling to avoid curdling.