The Ultimate Manhattan Clam Chowder

photo by Derf2440


- Ready In:
- 1hr 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 14
- Serves:
-
10
ingredients
- 2 dozen chowder clams
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 1⁄2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 1⁄2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I prefer Red Pack)
- 3 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 4 potatoes, cubed
- 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 lb cooked jumbo shrimp (add this to make the chowder really great) (optional)
directions
- Steam clams in a large pot and reserve the liquid that is left- it should measure about 3+ cups.
- Chop the clams.
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium/high heat until slightly crisp.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring until transparent.
- Add the pepper, carrot and celery and cook for about a minute.
- Add the clams, tomatoes, clam liquid, water, bay leaf, thyme ground pepper.
- Bring to a boil and add potatoes.
- Simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf. Add chopped parsley.
- Add the cooked shrimp now if you plan to use them, but do not continue to cook or the shrimp will get tough.
- You should only warm the shrimp over for best results.
- Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
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Reviews
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I love this recipe and have been making it for a long, long time. It was posted before 2020. If I have mussels, scallops, salmon, shrimp and of course, clams I add them at the end. Sometimes I add crushed red pepper. The bacon is essential. The green peppers are not. Perfect on a cold day. Even great for a summer treat. Don’t skimp on the clams.
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Four and a half stars! Really good. Made some changes: used leftover salmon in place of clams (which, I recognize, means this is no longer clam chowder!), and subbed in parsnips for the potatoes. Made in crock pot (cooked veg and bacon, then threw in with everything else) and cooked on high for 3 hours and low for 2. Also added 8 oz. tomato sauce for personal taste. Thanks for a really good one. :]
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I made this tonight with 2 cans of chopped clams and a 1/2 of cup of clam juice with 2.5 cups of water. I didn't add green peppers since I don't like them with chowder nor did I add the bacon. I added some thawed precooked shrimp and let it simmer for 1.5 hours or more since I like a thicker chowder and very soft potatoes. This was very good my kids liked it and it was extremely filling. Had plenty to give my in-laws and sister. Will update as to how they like it. Thank you DeSouter.
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Great starter recipe for us. I used 3 dozen clams because that was what was in the bag from Costco. I used Poblano pepper instead of green because that's what I had and I used 1 quart of low sodium chicken broth instead of water and added 2 small cans tomato paste to thicken a bit. Will do this again! Thanks
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Tweaks
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Four and a half stars! Really good. Made some changes: used leftover salmon in place of clams (which, I recognize, means this is no longer clam chowder!), and subbed in parsnips for the potatoes. Made in crock pot (cooked veg and bacon, then threw in with everything else) and cooked on high for 3 hours and low for 2. Also added 8 oz. tomato sauce for personal taste. Thanks for a really good one. :]
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Great starter recipe for us. I used 3 dozen clams because that was what was in the bag from Costco. I used Poblano pepper instead of green because that's what I had and I used 1 quart of low sodium chicken broth instead of water and added 2 small cans tomato paste to thicken a bit. Will do this again! Thanks
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
DeSouter
United States
Being a born and bred New Yorker with lots of varied ethnic food influences growing up, you can find me enjoying anything from Bloodwurst to Chicken Jahlfrezi to PBJs with fresh-ground honey roasted peanut butter and yummy homemade strawberry jam, and don't forget my friend Anna's mother's Pomodoro Sauce (via Bari, Italy). When it comes to eating and cooking, many native New Yorkers seem to be of whatever background that is on their plate at the moment.
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<br>I notice that a good number of Zaarites list "pet peeves" here. Many list whiny people as their peeve. Hey...I live in NYC where almost EVERYONE whines and complains, so I don't notice anymore. What burns my biscuits is seeing recipes that call for some really funky ingredients like Kraft (cough cough) Parmesan cheese in the green can and chicken from a can. I had never even heard of chicken in CAN(???) until last year. Get the best quality ingredients you purse will allow. That includes spices. Those jars of spices that sell for 99 cents are no bargain if you can afford something better. Do yourself a favor and if possible, go and explore any ethnic food markets in your area. They have the most wonderful spices and herbs and they are usually priced well. And you'll find so many other goodies you'd never have even known about. (I know this isn't possible for everyone, but then there's always the internet)
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<br>Sorry, I am the product of an "ingredient snob" father and I just can't help having inherited that gene to a certain extent. And again, I'm a New Yawka...we are SLIGHTLY opinionated. You're reading about the person who drives (I kid you not) 3 hours upstate and 3 hours back just to get THE sausage I need for my Thanksgiving stuffing. So call me fanatical.
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<br>I am a rather good baker and for a short time I had my own dessert biz...until I found out how hard it can be to work for yourself. So I went back to working as an Art Editor in publishing.