American
New England Clam Chowder
Creamy, briny, potato-rich — the gold standard of American chowder.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
New England Clam Chowder has been simmering in coastal pots since at least the early 1700s, adapted from Indigenous clam-cooking traditions and French-Breton fishing cultures.
It is the definitive dish of the region — thick, cream-enriched, studded with clams and potatoes, and finished with salt pork or bacon. In New England, adding tomato to clam chowder is considered an act of culinary vandalism. They are not entirely wrong.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
Chowder
- 4 dozen littleneck or cherrystone clams, scrubbed (or 4 cans (6.5 oz) chopped clams + 2 cups clam juice)
- 4 oz salt pork or thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 3 cups clam juice (from steaming, or bottled)
- 1½ lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced ¾-inch
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt (taste first — clams vary in saltiness)
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Oyster crackers and fresh chives for serving
Method
- 1
STEAM THE CLAMS (if using fresh): Place scrubbed clams in a large pot with 1 cup water. Cover and steam over high heat for 6–8 minutes until all clams open. Discard any that don't open. Reserve all cooking liquid. Remove clam meat from shells, chop roughly, and refrigerate.
- 2
RENDER PORK: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook salt pork or bacon until fat is rendered and pieces are golden, about 8 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and reserve the fat in the pot.
- 3
BUILD THE BASE: Add onion and celery to the fat. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- 4
ADD LIQUID: Gradually whisk in 2 cups of warm clam juice, then milk, then cream, stirring smooth after each addition. Add remaining clam juice, potatoes, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
- 5
SIMMER: Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are completely tender, about 15–18 minutes. Do not boil vigorously — this can cause the dairy to break and the chowder to taste grainy.
- 6
ADD CLAMS: Add the chopped clam meat and butter. Stir gently and heat through for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper. If it needs brightness, a squeeze of lemon juice does wonders.
- 7
SERVE: Remove bay leaves. Ladle into warm bowls. Top with a crack of black pepper, fresh chives and a drizzle of butter. Serve with oyster crackers.
Substitutions
- Chef's Tip: The single most important rule for clam chowder — do not boil it after the clams are added. Clams are delicate and will become rubbery if overcooked. Add them at the very end and heat gently.
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