New England Clam Chowder

This is a thick and harty chowder, perfect for a winter day. Serve it with oyster crackers.
New England Clam Chowder
  • 3 six and one-half ounce cans chopped clams
  • 1 eight ounce bottle clam juice
  • 4 strips bacon
  • 1 small russet potato, cut into 1/4 inch squares and par-boiled for 5 minutes
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1/4 lb. butter
  • 10 Tbls flour
  • 4 cups whole milk or half-and-half
  • celery salt

Cook the bacon until crisp and, remove from pan and crumble.

To the bacon drippings, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes.  Do not brown.

In a medium size sauce pan, add the butter and flour. Stir together and cook on medium low heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the whole milk while whisking.  Heat to a simmer so that the milk thickens.  Add the clam juice.

To the thickened milk mixture, add the clams (including the juice from the can), the vegetables and the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and celery salt and add the crumbled bacon.