New England Style Clambake

When I was a child, I remember many of these at Jack's Island with my Dad's family. There are many variations to a bake. Add what you like and increase or decrease the amounts to suit the number of guests. Make sure you have lots of butter for melting, shellfish crackers to crack lobsters, and wetnaps! It is alot of work, but a big payoff in the end. Make a day of it and enjoy the "best of New England"! What a great family/friends memory!

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 20 (1 lb)  lobsters
• 20  lbs  fresh soft-shell clams or 20  lbs mussels
• 10  lbs  fresh hard-shell littleneck clams
• 10  lbs  fresh  haddock or 10  lbs cod
• 20  medium white potatoes
• 20  medium sweet potatoes
• 20  ears corn
• 5  lbs sausage (Hot dogs,Bratwurst,Kielbsa,)
•  linguica sausage or   Portuguese chourico
• 3  lbs  whole onions, peeled
• 1  bushel  fresh seaweed (wash with clean water)
•  cheesecloth

Directions

1. Dig a whole in the ground approximately 2 feet wide, 4 feet long and 18-inches deep.
2. Line whole with stones and heat for 2-3 hours using wood and/or charcoal.
3. After 2-3 hours, remove coals and embers from stones and place 1/2 bushel fresh seaweed on top of the hot stones.
4. **REMEMBER: the stones must be extremely hot to achieve adequate steam to cook.
5. Now, work quickly to layer food on top of seaweed. Spread food evenly over each other in layers.
6. First, place soft shells clams on seaweed;.
7. Next, little necks;.
8. Next, sausage and fish; To make it easier for removal, place these ingredients in a cheesecloth bag.:
9. Next, whole peeled onions, sweet and white potatoes;.
10. Finally, place Lobsters on top of all.
11. Cover food with clean white wet cloth and place remaining seaweed on top of cloth.
12. Now, cover entire back with a wet tarpaulin, sealing steam in created by hot stones and seaweed.
13. Only allow a samll amount of steam to escape to relieve pressure.
14. Allow bake to cook 1 or more hours until potatoes are soft.