Great New England Clam Chowder

Submitted by CarrolJ

"I originally got this recipe from the Copycat web site. It is supposed to be a copy of Red Lobster's clam chowder. After making it I think it is better than theirs."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 473.18 ml russet potatoes (peeled and cubed 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch pieces)
• 236.59 ml butter
• 29.58 ml diced green onions (bulb only)
• 59.14 ml flour
• 2 (368.54 g) can minced clams (with juice)
• 4.92 ml salt (or to taste)
• 4.92 ml black pepper
• 4.92 ml garlic
• 340.19 g half-and-half
• 118.29 ml whole milk
• 78.78 ml clam juice
• fresh parsley (minced for garnish)

directions

1. Place potatoes in saucepan and cover with water, cook on medium heat until tender.
2. Remove potatoes from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In 2 quart saucepan on medium low heat melt butter, add diced onions, cook until onions are slightly clear in color.
4. Add flour to butter and stir briskly.
5. Mixture will start to thicken.
6. Add half and half a little at a time while stirring briskly.
7. Mixture will be creamy and will look like thick cream.
8. Place salt, clams and juice, potatoes, bottled clam juice and milk with mixture.
9. On medium low temperature bring chowder to a slow boil.
10. Turn temperature down to low and let chowder simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Reviews

[saraquarius]

Being a Cape Codder, I'm picky about my clam chowder....I've made a few recipes from this site with limited success. This recipe is the closest I've come to getting it right. The thickness is perfect and the flavor is rich, but it's missing something.....I think other posters are correct in saying it needs a bacon element added. I think next time I will try to sneak in a bit of bacon fat or salt pork to see if that helps....I think that would be better than just adding bacon to the mixture. I'll keep working at it but thanks so much for a great recipe!! We really enjoyed it.

 

[rachelii]

After reading the other reviews I decided to make this with a little twist. I started by frying half a package of bacon in the stew pot. I removed the bacon then used the grease (which was about 1/4 of a cup and added only 1/4 of a cup butter to make the half cup of butter it called for in the recipe) I cooked the remainder just as called for in the recipe except I didn't have the extra clam juice, I only had the juice from the cans of clams. Oh and I added a can of corn and the cooked bacon in the last 5 minutes of cook time, and waited until the last 5 minutes to add the clams so they wouldn't over cook. (I also waited to add the potatoes because I cooked them completely before adding and I didn't want them to turn to mush in the soup) I seasoned the soup as called for in the recipe and added a dash of cayenne pepper to it. It was so great that my husband who isn't a soup eater had 2 bowls of it.

 

[Boca Pat]

Great tasting chowder! I didn't change a thing. It was a snap to make, but tasted as though I slaved all day making it!! Thanks for sharing Carol

 

[mbrodere]

Added pork belly that I crisped up at the beginning of the process, while I was cleaning the clams. I chopped up the pork belly and added it to the roux before adding the clams in. I added a little minced garlic. I sometimes add in crab and shrimp to create a seafood chowder. My family and friends go nuts for it. Add a good crusty bread or put in a bread bowl. YUMOH!

 

[SharonChen]

I usually make clam chowder with heavy cream. But this roux version was just as good!!! Didn't change a thing and absolute love!