How can I use fresh clams in clam chowder?

Littleneck clams are preferred for their sweetness and not being as chewy as cherrystone or chowder clams. Clean the shells well, open with a clam knife and use the meat and liquid for the chowder. Just chop the clams into smaller pieces and add them to the soup. Don't open the clams until ready to use, they will last in the refrigerator for 1-2 days if fresh. Food preservation has information about freezing clams.

How to cook clam chowder on the stovetop?

You can cook a small or large batch on your stovetop instead of in the slow cooker. Just brown the bacon and onions. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Cut the vegetables into smaller diced pieces, about 1/2" cubes. Add them to the pot with tomatoes, spices, clam juice and broth. Bring to a boil. Let simmer on low-medium heat for about 15 minutes. Pierce one of the potatoes and carrot with a fork to see if they are tender. If still a little bit hard, cook another 5 minutes or so. Turn heat down to low, add in the clams and let soup simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste broth for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Slow Cooker Clam Chowder ⋆

Name: Slow Cooker Clam Chowder
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 6 h 30 min
Total time: 7 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 slices bacon; 1 large white or yellow onion, diced; 4-5 carrots, chopped; 4 stalks of celery, chopped; 1 cup of corn-fresh, can or frozen; 2 32 ounce cartons of vegetable broth*; 3 large russet potatoes, chopped into medium sized dice; 1 24 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice; 3 8 oz. bottles of clam juice; 1 cup of shucked clams with the liquid. *; 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning; 2 Bay leaves; salt & black pepper to taste

Description

A hearty, chunky soup filled with vegetables, clams and a rich, flavorful broth. Perfect for dunking some crusty bread or rolls.

Ingredients

Units Scale

6 slices bacon
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
4-5 carrots, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 cup of corn-fresh, can or frozen
2 32 ounce cartons of vegetable broth*
3 large russet potatoes, chopped into medium sized dice
1 24 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
3 8 oz. bottles of clam juice
1 cup of shucked clams with the liquid. *
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
2 Bay leaves
salt & black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Fry bacon, drain, saving one tablespoon fat, let cool, crumble and set aside.
Sauce the onion in bacon fat until lightly caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.
Put all ingredients except clams into slow cooker.
Cook on low for about 6 hours until vegetables are just about tender.
Pour clams and their liquid into slow cooker and cook for another 30 -45 minutes until veggies are done and clams are cooked.
Taste test broth for any additional spices.

Notes

* You can substitute chicken stock for the vegetable broth.

*This slow cooker manhattan clam chowder recipe makes a large amount of soup. I like to freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for future meals. The ingredients can easily be cut in half to make a smaller batch. Just lower the time it takes to cook to about 3 - 4 hours.

*Fresh or frozen clams is preferable but you can use 3 or 4 6oz. cans of chopped clams.

*You can substitute the bacon with ham, pancetta, turkey bacon or sausage.

*Add a few drops of hot sauce or red pepper flakes if you want the chowder to be spicier.

** For a lower carb version, leave out the potatoes and corn. You can substitute some parsnips or turnips if you'd like.

Keywords: seafood, clam stew, savory soup