New England Clam Chowder
Tender clams in a rich, milk-based broth built on salt pork fat and layered potatoes — Fannie Farmer's 1896 formula, sharpened for the modern kitchen.
Ingredients
- 2 lbfresh littleneck or cherrystone clams(in shell, about 1 quart shucked meat)
- 3 ozsalt pork(cut into ¼-inch dice)
- 1 mediumyellow onion(thinly sliced)
- 4 cupsYukon Gold potatoes(peeled, cut into ¾-inch cubes)
- 3 tbspall-purpose flour
- 1 tspkosher salt(plus more to taste)
- ¼ tspblack pepper(freshly ground)
- 2 ½ cupswater(boiling)
- 4 cupswhole milk
- 4 tbspunsalted butter(divided)
- 6 piecesoyster crackers(or common crackers, for serving)
Method
- 01
Shuck the clams over a bowl to catch every drop of liquor. Separate the tough foot/neck (hard parts) from the soft belly meat and set both aside. Strain the collected liquor through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper towel; reserve.
- 02
Pour the strained clam liquor into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Keep warm.
- 03
Finely chop the hard parts of the clams; leave the soft belly meat whole. Set both aside separately.
- 04
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat, render the 3 oz salt pork, stirring occasionally, until the fat is released and the pieces are golden, about 6 minutes.
- 05
Add the sliced onion to the rendered pork fat and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Do not drain — the fat is your flavor base.
- 06
Meanwhile, parboil the 4 cups potatoes in a separate pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain well.
- 07
Scatter half the parboiled potatoes into the Dutch oven in an even layer. Add the chopped hard clam meat, then sprinkle with ½ tsp of the kosher salt, ⅛ tsp of the black pepper, and 1 ½ tbsp of the flour.
- 08
Add the remaining potatoes in a second layer, sprinkle with the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt, ⅛ tsp black pepper, and the remaining 1 ½ tbsp flour.
- 09
Pour in the 2 ½ cups boiling water, stir gently to distribute the flour, and cook uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- 10
Warm the 4 cups whole milk in a separate saucepan until steaming (do not boil). Add the hot milk, the soft belly clam meat, and 3 tbsp of the unsalted butter to the pot. Stir gently and simmer for 3 minutes — do not let it boil hard or the milk will break.
- 11
While the chowder finishes, make the clam-liquor thickener: in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 1 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat, whisk in 1 tsp flour, and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the warm reserved clam liquor and stir until smooth and lightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- 12
Stir the clam-liquor thickener into the chowder just before serving. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- 13
Ladle into warm bowls and top each with a handful of oyster crackers.
Adapted from public domain & community sources