Best recipe for homemade clam chowder?

[Incitatus]

I have had many different ones here in Florida, but none of them match the various chowders I've had in MA.

For New England clam chowder lovers, what is your favorite recipe?

[Warpy]

1. "Let's go out to dinner!"

Honestly, one of the funniest things I ever saw was a dinner party where the host tried to make clam chowder out of big quahog clams. He didn't know the only way those things are palatable is if you grind them up and mix them with seasoned bread crumbs and butter for stuffed clams.

It was like chewing on old bicycle tires.

Going out in Boston was a great discouragement. I was never able to duplicate the recipe used at the No Name.

[opiate69]

2. ok...

Render some bacon or preferably salt pork. When it has given off a good bit of fat, sweat one diced onion until translucent. Add half a stick of butter and 2 to 4 tablespoons flour. Stir into a Roux.. add diced potatoes, clam broth and half a gallon of half & half. You can add a cup of water if you wish to thin the cream down a bit.. bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Add fresh, chopped clams for the last 5 minutes. Serve in a sourdough round.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Wow! And you got the sourdough round, too!

I am thinking about getting out the clam rake because I don't think I can wait till the shops open.

[opiate69]

5. Hell yeah, I did! lol..

I may live in Washington now, but I grew up in Connecticut.. Chowda is like a religion to me!
I`ve been doing a lot of razor clam digging over the past few months, and have found that they`re excellent in chowder.. I usually pull a bag (about a pound) out of the freezer and use the thawed liquid as my clam juice.. the necks and steaks are almost like calimary in texture, so a little bit of tenderizing with the handle of my knife makes `em a little less chewy.. but damn, those razors are so flavorful....

[Lugnut]

4. Here's mine.

It took a lot of trial and error until I hit on the one I liked best.

New England Clam Chowder

5 - 6 Large Red Potatoes
3 Shallots - minced
1 Stick of Butter
3/4 C Flour
1 qt Heavy Cream
51 oz of chopped clams
2 tsp White Pepper
2 tsp Powdered Thyme

Drain the clams reserving the broth. (there should be about a quart but retain just a quart) Set aside.
Peel and medium dice (bite-size) potatoes. Boil for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.
Saute shallots in butter in a large stock pot. Do not brown. Add flour and whisk to make a blonde roux. DO NOT BROWN. Add heavy cream and simmer until it starts to thicken. Add reserved clam broth and whisk while it thickens. Never hard boil any cream soup. Add clams and boiled potatoes then stir. Add seasonings and adjust to taste. When it's thick and well incorporated it's ready to eat. Thin with half and half if you like a thinner broth. Serve with oyster crackers on top or Club Crackers on the side.

[Melissa G]

6. So bookmarking this thread..

Great question! Loves me some chowda! looking forward to the replies!

[grasswire]

8. If you use site search on DU, you will find previous threads about clam chowder

Pinto started one just last fall. Many comments and recipes from C&B chowder lovers in the archives.

[pinto]

9. Butter sauteed onions. Par boiled new potatoes. Half and half. Water. Black pepper. Clams. Butter.

All simmered together till the clams are just done. Some folks add a bit of bacon or celery to the initial sauteed onions. Some top a dish with a bit of thyme. New England chowder is pretty thin overall - just the basics.

Oh, and soda crackers on the side.