Creamy chowder packed with clams, bacon, potatoes, and herbs—hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy meal.
# What You Need:
→ Seafood
01 - 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, undrained
02 - 1 cup bottled clam juice or reserved liquid from canned clams
→ Meats
03 - 4 oz bacon, diced (about 4 slices)
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
06 - 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
→ Dairy
09 - 2 cups whole milk
10 - 1 cup heavy cream
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Pantry
12 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the pot, discarding any excess.
02 - Add unsalted butter to the pot. Sauté chopped onion and celery in the bacon fat and butter over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
03 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over the vegetables, stirring constantly to form a roux. Cook for 2 minutes, ensuring the roux is smooth and no raw flour taste remains.
04 - Gradually whisk in clam juice and any reserved liquid from the canned clams. Add diced potatoes, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
05 - Stir in whole milk, heavy cream, and chopped clams with their juices. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to heat through and marry the flavors. Do not allow to boil.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
07 - Stir in chopped parsley and half the reserved bacon. Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with remaining bacon and extra parsley.
