Best California Clam Chowder Recipes

CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain the clams, adding the juice from the cans to a large stock pot. Set the clams aside.
• Add chicken broth and diced potatoes to the pot (the liquid should just barely cover the potatoes). Bring to a simmer, add the bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, about 5-6 minutes.
• While the potatoes cook, in a second pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually stir in the milk and half and half, whisking as you add them to break up any clumps of flour. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the thickened, about 5 minutes
• Stir the creamy mixture into the potatoes. Stir in the salt, pepper, vinegar, and reserved clams. Cook for 5 more minutes.

CONTEST-WINNING NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat butter over low heat. Add onion, celery, green pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Add water and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. , Add tomatoes, clams, salt, thyme, pepper and cayenne; heat through. Stir in parsley. Serve immediately.

BEST HOMEMADE CALIFORNIA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Drain clams and reserve clam juice. Slice bacon and cook in pan on medium heat until just done. Remove bacon and half of bacon grease.
• Chop potatoes, celery, onion and garlic. Add chopped potatoes to (bacon) pan and cook on medium heat until potatoes are just tender...about 15 minutes.
• Pour removed half of bacon grease into large soup pot and saute onion, garlic and celery, until translucent, about 10 minutes.
• On low heat in small pot, melt the butter then add the flour slowly and with a high heat spatula and stir until smooth to create the roux.
• Stir in flour roux, the half and half, the clam juice, salt and pepper to the vegetables in the large soup pot. Stir well. Add clams and bacon. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

SANTA BARBARA CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a small pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, slowly mix in the flour until you have a thick consistency. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use. This is the roux.
• In a 3-gallon stock pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic, celery, and onions along with the bay leaves, salt, and white pepper. Cook the mixture until it is lightly browned, stirring it occasionally. Add the clam juice, stir, and let it cook until it is moderately warm. Then add the potatoes and bring the chowder to a boil, stirring it occasionally. Once the soup is boiling add the chopped clams, bacon, cream, and thyme. Stir the soup and let it cook until hot, do not bring it to a boil. Remove the soup from the heat and slowly stir in the roux until the desired consistency is reached.

QUICK AND EASY CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. , In the same skillet, saute onion in reserved drippings until tender. Stir in soup and milk. Add the clams, lemon juice, thyme, pepper and bacon; cook until heated through. Garnish with parsley.

THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Put the clams in a large, heavy Dutch oven, add about 4 cups water, then set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until clams have opened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. (Clams that fail to open after 15 to 20 minutes should be discarded.) Strain clam broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or doubled-up paper towels, and set aside. Remove clams from shells, and set aside as well.
• Rinse out the pot, and return it to the stove. Add butter, and turn heat to medium-low. Add bacon or salt pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork has started to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pork from fat, and set aside.
• Add the leeks to the fat, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and wine, and continue cooking until wine has evaporated and the potatoes have just started to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add enough clam broth to just cover the potatoes, approximately 3 cups, reserving the rest for another use. Add the thyme and the bay leaf.
• Partly cover the pot, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the clams into bits about the size of the bacon dice.
• When potatoes are tender, add cream and stir in chopped clams and reserved bacon. Add black pepper to taste. Let come to a simmer, and remove from heat. (Do not let chowder come to a full boil.) Fish out the thyme and the bay leaf, and discard.
• The chowder should be allowed to sit for a while to cure. Reheat it to a bare simmer before serving, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.

MONTEREY CLAM CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place vegetables, bacon and margarine in a 5 quart sauce pot.
• Saute over medium heat until vegetables are tender. Be careful not to brown or scorch.
• When vegetables are tender, add flour to make a roux.
• Cook for two minutes, allowing flour to cook while stirring occasionally.
• Add clam juice and dairy products.
• Stir by using a wire whip.
• Add fresh garlic, black pepper, and chopped clams.
• Cook over low-medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent chowder from scorching.
• Cook for two hours or until chowder is brought to desired thickness. If a crockpot, or small steam kettle is available, it is recommended.
• Also, clam juice can be added to thin chowder down if it gets too thick.
• Cook for about 1 1/2 hours. The chowder needs to be stirred OFTEN, probably about every 5-10 minutes or so or it will stick to the bottom of the pot.