old fashioned midwestern clambake

Name: Old Fashioned MidWestern Clambake
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 3 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 150 - clams, cleaned and scrubbed littleneck or middleneck; 12 - sweet potatoes; 12 - corn on the cob; 3 - whole chickens cut in half; 3 pound(s) chicken backs and necks; 1 pound(s) butter, unsalted; 1 large celery head chopped in 4 inch pieces; 1/4 cup(s) salt; 2 tablespoon(s) black pepper; - water to cover; 10 - cheese cloth bags

(1 rating)

review

Recipe by

Lou Kostura

@lkostura

Belmont, CA

I have been making these with my family since as long as I can remember. This is a home version for 12 or so people. When I was growing up my dad and uncle would feed between 100-150 people. In my home version I bag all like ingredients together and just put everything in the middle of the table for folks to go at it. When we used to do the large events, each cheesecloth bag would get 1/2 a chicken, 1 corn, 1sweet potato, and a dozen clams that's what we would call a bake. The broth was served as a drink with dinner and leftover broth was used to make chowder ( red or Manhattan style )

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(1 rating)

yield 12 serving(s)

prep time 2 Hr

cook time 3 Hr

method Stove Top

Ingredients For old fashioned midwestern clambake

150

clams, cleaned and scrubbed littleneck or middleneck
12

sweet potatoes
12

corn on the cob
3

whole chickens cut in half
3 lb

chicken backs and necks
1 lb

butter, unsalted
1 lg

celery head chopped in 4 inch pieces
1/4 c

salt
2 Tbsp

black pepper
water to cover
10

cheese cloth bags

How To Make old fashioned midwestern clambake

1
Scrub clams of all sand using a vegetable brush, even if you are told they are clean from the fish monger they are NOT

2
Bag clams in cheese cloth bags and tie, bag corn, sweet potatoes
3
Season chicken halfs with salt and pepper and bag in cheesecloth, bag up the backs and necks
4
Load all the bags into a very large stockpot ( mine is 28 quart) Add the celery, butter(yes the whole pound), salt and pepper. Place one large sweet potato on top of everything
5
Cover and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to simmer. When a fork is easily inserted into large sweet potato on top it done
6
Put bags out on table, discard backs and necks, cut open bags and let everyone at it. Serve with additional melted butter and lots of napkins, and a cup of broth.
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old fashioned midwestern clambake

Ingredients For old fashioned midwestern clambake

How To Make old fashioned midwestern clambake

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