Creamy Clam Chowder Sourdough (Print version)
Hearty New England clam chowder with clams, potatoes, bacon, served in crispy sourdough bread bowls.
# What you'll need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, juices reserved
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice (or fish stock)
→ Meats
03 - 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 cup celery, diced
06 - 1½ cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced (½-inch cubes)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Pantry
11 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Bread
15 - 4 small round sourdough bread loaves
→ Garnish (optional)
16 - Chopped fresh parsley
17 - Cracked black pepper
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the tops off the sourdough loaves and hollow out the centers, leaving about ½-inch thick walls. Place bowls and tops on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes until slightly crisp. Set aside.
02 - In a large heavy pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
03 - Add butter to the pot. Sauté onion and celery in the fat until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to form a roux.
05 - Gradually whisk in reserved clam juice, bottled clam juice, and bay leaf. Add potatoes and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
06 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the clams, cooked bacon, milk, and cream. Simmer gently for 5 minutes (do not boil), until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Ladle chowder into the prepared sourdough bowls. Garnish with parsley and extra black pepper if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The combination of smoky bacon and sweet clams creates an incredible depth of flavor that feels like a coastal restaurant meal but comes together in under an hour
- Serving it in hollowed sourdough bowls transforms dinner into an event, and soaking up that creamy broth with bread is arguably the best part
02 -
- Never let the chowder boil after adding the dairy, or the cream can separate and turn grainy, which I learned the hard way during a dinner party
- The chowder continues to thicken as it sits, so if you are making it ahead, thin it with extra milk when reheating rather than adding more cream
03 -
- Cut your potatoes slightly larger than you think you need because they will continue cooking in the hot liquid and you want them to hold their shape
- Taste the chowder before adding salt since both the bacon and clam juice contribute significant saltiness to the final dish