Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder is a type of chowder where it contains clams, potatoes, onions and broth as its main ingredient. This dish is often served in restaurants during Fridays this is due to a custom where Catholics abstain from meat every Friday.

Clam Chowder

Clam Chowder is a type of chowder where it contains clams, potatoes, onions and broth as its main ingredient. This dish is often served in restaurants during Fridays this is due to a custom where Catholics abstain from meat every Friday. Later on that strict abstinence was reduced only to Lenten periods but the tradition of serving clams on Friday remains.

There are different types of Clam chowders and it is defined by the extra ingredients they have, the popular ones are:

  • New England clam chowder – Usually thickened with oyster crackers instead of flour, this chowder is a milk or cream-based chowder. It uses strict ingredients which are limited to clams, onions, potatoes and milk/cream; it is even illegal to put tomatoes on it and was supported by a 1939 bill in the Maine legislature.
  • Manhattan clam chowder – This chowder contains clams, potatoes in a clear tomato based broth. Other ingredients can be added such as tomato chunks, carrots and beans.
  • Rhode Island clam chowder – Also called as “South County Style”, this dish is also a clear broth chowder which contains quahogs, broth, potatoes, onions, and bacon. This chowder is usually served with clam cakes.
  • Hatteras clam chowder – Another clear broth chowder, this dish contains bacon, potatoes, onions, and flour usually seasoned with generous amounts of black pepper and occasionally some hot pepper sauce.
  • New Jersey clam chowder – A best of both words this chowder is both tomato and cream based. Its main ingredients are bacon, onion, chowder clams, potatoes, pepper, celery powder, parsley, crab spice (Old Bay), asparagus.
  • Delaware clam chowder – This chowder contains cubed salt pork, salt water, potatoes, diced onions, quahogs, butter, salt and pepper. This is a very old recipe which dates back in the early 20th century.
  • Minorcan clam chowder – This is the spicy hot chowder and it is tomato based.

This is one of my favourite dishes specially the milk/cream based ones I love its strong taste which is really good when combined with cream or milk. For this post we will be making some New England clam chowder with added bacon for flavour, how about you what’s your favourite type of chowder?

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Clam Chowder

  • Author: Raymund
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Clam Chowder is a type of chowder where it contains clams, potatoes, onions and broth as its main ingredient. This dish is often served in restaurants during Fridays this is due to a custom where Catholics abstain from meat every Friday.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 500g shelled clams, roughly chopped
  • 150g bacon, chopped
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium sized potatoes, cubed
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 500ml cream
  • 500ml clam stock (you can get this from boiling fresh clams)
  • salt
  • freshly black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a skillet melt 2 tbsp butter then brown the bacon
  2. Add the onions into the skillet then sauté until the onions sweat.
  3. Add the potatoes and stir for 2 minutes, add 1 cup of clam stock then simmer until potatoes are tender.
  4. In a pot add 1/2 cup butter then add the flour, whisk until it forms into a roux. Add cream and remaining clam juice then slowly bring it to a boil. Lower to simmering heat then add the boiled potatoes and clams, simmer for 5 more minutes.
  5. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

 

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25 Responses

  1. peasepudding says:

    Gosh, I didn’t realize there were so many varieties and I have rarely eaten chowder. Maybe becaus shellfish is a bit of a premium here.

  2. Jasline says:

    Yours look delicious though I’m not a fan of cream soups! I didn’t know there are so many types of chowder! I’m hopping to try a Manhattan clam chowder, do you happen to have the recipe?

  3. kiwidutch says:

    Raymund it’s when you post gorigous photos like these that it’s REALLY annoying that I’m allergic to shellfish….
    I’ll drool from afar.

  4. starlight says:

    goodie! thank you, i’ve been wanting to cook clam chowder and i think your recipe is simple and easy to follow.. thanks for sharing.

  5. Tessa says:

    New England chowder is my all time fave! Your recipe is very similar to mine. The only difference is that I add celery to the soup base and garnish with parsley. Beautiful job!

  6. So many types to choose from! I think I’d be keen on the New Jersey clam chowder myself, everything sounds so good! Your chowder is beautifully styled & looks truly delicious. Another eye pleasing and tummy warming pic 🙂

  7. Very nice and chunky clams and bacon addition in it, Raymund. Don’t mind having this delicious looking chowder in the middle of fall season. Thank you and have a good weekend, Raymund! 🙂

  8. As Autumn brings a chill to the air, soup is always on my mind and clam chowder one of our favorites. Great job on the photo, Raymund, you always inspire me to improve on my own. 🙂

  9. Eri says:

    I love them all! I guess back in Greece we do something like the Hatteras clam chowder but somehow different using lemon sauce.
    Have a nice weekend Reymund!

  10. Kiran says:

    Love seafood chowder! Have a great weekend, friend 🙂

  11. Eha says:

    I love it when a fun blog also contains a lesson for me! I had no idea before today what ingredients were housed in all the different clam chowders I has read about or, in a few cases, tasted! Fascinating! I presume ‘quahogs’ are a type of clams: ignorant? Well, what do you expect – the gal is from semi-rural Australia 😀 !!

  12. I had no idea there were so many versions of clam chowder. Yours looks brilliant!

  13. mjskit says:

    I didn’t know there were so many different chowders. I was only familiar with New England and Manhattan, of which I prefer New England clam chowder. I’m not a fan of a tomato based chowder for some reason even though I love a good ciopinno. But for clam chowder, give me clams, potato, bacon and cream – just like this delicious chowder you’ve prepared for us today! Yours is the perfect chowder in my book!

  14. Kristy says:

    Mmmm! Clam chowder. I love New England and Rhode Island clam chowder. It’s so warming and tasty. Combine those with a crusty piece of bread. Yum!

  15. Dear Raymund,

    I love a good clam chowder especially with some freshly baked bread and butter as a dip into that thick wholesome goodness!

  16. Great roundup of chowders. The Rhode Island, though not well known, is really good. But my fav is New England. A lot of people do use bacon when they make this, so if one is trying to be meatless, it’s worth asking whether it’s in there. Good stuff – thanks.

  17. ceciliag says:

    I have ni idea where i would find clams out here on the prairies but it does look so good and well done with that whole list of chowders.. sounds great.. c

  18. Karen says:

    Living in New England, I can tell you that your recipe is most like what we have here. Bacon is included in New England clam chowder and the oyster crackers are served on the side…not in the chowder. Nice job…your chowder looks great.

  19. buttoni says:

    Mmmm. Exactly how I make it, except I can’t thicken with flour anymore. But I do thicken it a bit. Lovely!

  20. I had no idea there were so many varieties!

  21. foodjaunts says:

    I’ve never heard of all these different varieties of clam chowder! So fascinating, I’d love to try a New Jersey style. Of the ones I’ve tried New England Style is definitely my fav so far, yours looks super rich.

  22. Never knew there were so many types of clam chowder and I have NEVER tried one – disgraceful ! 🙂

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