Creamy New England Clam Chowder

The History Behind This Recipe

Clam chowder has been a New England staple since the early 1800s, when clams, potatoes, onions, and salt pork were simmered together in a milky broth along the coast. The creamy white version is so iconic it was enshrined in Maine law in 1939 — which famously banned tomatoes from the chowder. This bowl is thick, briny, and tastes like the Atlantic in a cup.

Ingredients (6 servings)

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups (720 ml) clam juice
• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• 2 lb (900g) russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 (6.5 oz / 185g) cans chopped clams, drained, juice reserved
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Oyster crackers and fresh chives, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat.
2. Cook the onion and celery in the bacon fat until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute.
3. Whisk in the clam juice and cream, scraping up any browned bits.
4. Add the potatoes and thyme. Simmer 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in the clams and bacon and warm through — don't boil once the clams go in, or they toughen.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with oyster crackers and chives.

Tips & Variations

• Use real clam juice, not water — it's what gives the chowder its briny depth.
• Add the clams at the very end and only warm them gently.
• For a thicker chowder, mash a few potato chunks against the side of the pot.