Manhattan Clam Chowder
This classic Manhattan clam chowder features tender clams, diced potatoes, and savory bacon simmered in a rich, briny tomato broth. A comforting seafood soup ready in about an hour.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1/2 cup celery sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound Russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 8 ounce bottles clam juice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 10 ounce can whole baby clams drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- oyster crackers and cooked bacon for serving optional
Instructions
- Warm a large pot over medium heat, then cook the chopped bacon until it turns crisp, stirring from time to time. The bacon should be browned and the pot should hold a layer of fragrant rendered fat.
- Lift the crisp bacon onto paper towels and leave the drippings in the pot. Keeping the bacon aside protects its crunch until the chowder is nearly finished.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Stir occasionally until the vegetables look softened and the onion loses its raw edge.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. The garlic should smell aromatic without turning dark or sticking to the pot.
- Add the tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, clam juice, chicken broth, and potatoes, then stir and bring the liquid to a simmer. The tomato paste will dissolve into the broth and give it a richer brick-red color.
- Maintain a steady simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. A fork should slide through a potato cube easily, while the cube still holds its shape.
- Fold in the undrained diced tomatoes and drained baby clams, then adjust the salt and pepper. Keep the heat gentle so small bubbles rise without the chowder boiling hard.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the reserved bacon and finish with parsley. The clams should be warmed through and tender, with the bacon still providing a little chew.
Notes
Potato doneness: Simmer the diced potatoes in the broth until fork-tender before adding the diced tomatoes, as acidic tomato juice slows down the softening process.
Clam tenderness: Keep the heat low once the baby clams are added and simmer gently for only 5 minutes. Rapid boiling makes the shellfish rubbery.
Reheating: Warm leftover chowder gently in a pot over low heat to 165 °F, stirring occasionally to prevent the potatoes from breaking apart.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.