Jim's New England Clam Chowder
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Yields:
-
5 Quarts
- Serves:
- 8-10
ingredients
- 1 (51 ounce) can clams (chopped or minced, Costco or BJ's carries these size cans)
- 3 lbs Red Bliss potatoes (you won't have to peel the bliss!) or 3 lbs maine utility potatoes (you won't have to peel the bliss!)
- 6 ounces salt pork
- 3 celery ribs
- 1 large onion
- 2 cups milk (I use 2%)
- 1⁄2 cup butter
- 1⁄4 cup flour
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, in cheesecloth or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, in a tea ball
- salt and pepper
directions
- Dice the salt pork into small cubes.
- I usually slice it into a grid while it is still attached to the skin, then slice across the skin where it attaches to the fat and the cubes pop off easily.
- Sauté the salt pork in a large 5 quart non stick sauce pan.
- When the cubes are golden brown strain them from the rendered fat onto a paper bag to drain.
- Save 4 tablespoons of the liquid fat from the salt pork,then wipe out the sauce pan with a paper towel.
- Put the fat back in the sauce pan.
- Dice the large onion into small pieces.
- Slice the 3 ribs of celery lengthwise then dice it into small pieces.
- Place the diced onion and celery into the heated pork fat and sauté until the onions are opaque and the celery is a bit soft.
- Pour the entire can of clams (broth and all) into the onion/celery mixture and bring to a simmer.
- Place the rosemary into the clam broth mixture.
- Peel the Maine potatoes OR scrub the red bliss potatoes.
- Then cut them into 3/4-inch cubes--I like them a bit chunky--and soak them in cold water for about five minutes.
- Take the stick of butter and melt it in a small sauce pan.
- Add the 3 tablespoons of flour to the melted butter and stir until well blended.
- Drain the potatoes and place them into the clam mixture, simmer until al dente.
- Next, pour the 2 cups of milk into the simmering clam broth mixture and bring back to a simmer.
- Lastly, swirl the butter/flour roux into the chowder and simmer for about 10 more minutes until the chowder thickens.
- Remove the rosemary and serve this chowder in big bowls with oyster crackers and the pieces of golden brown pork fat, salt and pepper to taste.
- NOTE: I don't like my chowder too thick so you may have to adjust the butter/flour mixture.
- You may skip the butter and use a low-fat margarine.
- You may also substitute skim milk too (or skip the milk altogether, this is called Point Judith/Rhode Island style!).
- You may even skip the whole pork fat thing for a healthier recipe.
- This chowder is so hearty that it stands up well to "healthier alternative" substitutions.
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