Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

traci's famous new england clam chowdahhhh

(28 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Traci Howard
Red Bluff, CA

I hope you enjoy this as much as our family and friends have for years! The "chowdahhh" is even better (if that is possible) the next day!!! However, it often does not last that long.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

This tasted like the real deal New England Clam Chowder to us. Super creamy and savory, it's filled with potatoes, corn, and clams. Using pepper bacon adds a little spice and smokiness. Serving the chowder in a bread bowl makes for a pretty presentation. The bread soaks up all the flavors of the New England Clam Chowder and is tasty to eat afterward.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(28 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr 30 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For traci's famous new england clam chowdahhhh

  • 3 c
    onions, diced
  • 3 c
    celery, diced
  • 5 lb
    potatoes, diced
  • 6 can
    corn cream-style (14.75 oz each)
  • 6 can
    corn (15.25 oz each) or 6 ears of fresh corn kernels
  • 6 can
    minced clams with juice (6.5 oz each)
  • 4 1/2 stick
    butter
  • 2 1/4 c
    unbleached white flour
  • 3 qt
    heavy cream
  • 4 1/2 tsp
    Kosher salt
  • 4 1/2 tsp
    pepper, freshly ground
  • 3 lb
    pepper bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 Tbsp
    hot pepper sauce
  • 6 or so
    round bread bowls, gutted. Reserve the bread and make croutons.

How To Make traci's famous new england clam chowdahhhh

  • Draining the clams and the corn.
    1
    Drain the clams, but reserve the juice. Also, if you are using canned corn, drain well.
  • Browning bacon in a stock pot.
    2
    Add the bacon to a large stock pot, and cook the bacon until almost crisp. I do not drain the fat. If you wish, I suppose it would be okay. However, the flavor is adds to the whole.
  • Cooking onions, celery, and potatoes in the stock pot.
    3
    Add the onions and celery to the bacon, cook until tender. Then add the potatoes, clam juice, and just enough water to barely cover the veggie/ bacon mixture. Cover and simmer. Cook potatoes until JUST fork tender; careful not to over cook the potatoes.
  • Whisking butter and flour until thick roux forms.
    4
    In the meantime, in a 5 qt pan, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisk to blend, and cook for about two minutes. You want to make sure that you cook the flour taste out. Add the cream, cook, and stir until smooth and thick, using a wire whisk. I tend to do this until I reach the thickness I desire.
  • Thickener added to other clam chowder ingredients.
    5
    Once your "chowda" is as thick as you wish, remove the pot from the stove. And add the cream mixture, drained corn, creamed corn, clams, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and ENJOY!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT