New England Clam Chowder
Thick, creamy, loaded with clams and potatoes. The kind of chowder that warms you after a cold crosswind landing.
Professional pilot & seafood enthusiast
The Story
“Landing at KBOS on a January evening, all I wanted was a bowl of proper chowder. Here's my cockpit-refined version after years of experimenting.”
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups clam juice (bottled)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
- 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, drained (reserve liquid)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- Salt, white pepper, and oyster crackers
Instructions
Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crispy. Remove bacon, leave 2 tbsp drippings.
Add butter, onion, and celery. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
Sprinkle in flour, stir for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly add clam juice and reserved clam liquid, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add bay leaves and thyme.
Add potatoes. Simmer 15–18 minutes until fork-tender.
Stir in cream and canned clams. Heat through gently — do NOT boil.
Low and slow once the cream goes in. Patience.
Season with salt and white pepper. Top with reserved bacon and oyster crackers.
📝 Crabby's Notes
- •Make it the day before — chowder is always better the next day.
- •White pepper is traditional. It gives heat without the black specks.
What to Drink
A crusty sourdough bread bowl and a Samuel Adams lager.