Buzz Bradley’s Infamous Clam Chowder Recipe

If you are a fan of chowder … oh do I have a treat for you. I’ve been craving some of my infamous clam chowder for weeks, and now I’m thinking about it almost everyday but I just can’t seem to get around to making some. So I’m going to do the next best thing, share the recipe with you, and hopefully you can make and enjoy some. I will probably get around to making my batch somewhere in late August around my birthday.

I’m going to share the recipe with you that I have tweaked and perfected, to my tastes anyways, it is based off my dads recipe and is more of a New England style that a true Maine chowder style…cuz I like it thick! 

It is fairly easy to make. It’s rich and creamy, has some fresh thyme, a little paprika and a whole lot of delicious clams, potatoes, celery and onion, and bacon, oh could there be a finer thing than bacon.

Let’s get cooking….

Ingredients

•  10 slices of bacon
•   2 1/2 c diced onion
•   1 c diced celery
•   3 1/2 c diced potatoes
•  1 tbs fresh thyme
•  1 tsp paprika
•  1 tsp cajun spice (secret)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 c chopped surf clams or quahogs (reserve any clam juice)
• 1 stick - salted butter
• 1/3 c flour
• 1 1/2 qts light cream

Instructions

1. Dice the bacon and saute in a large pot until translucent. Drain the fat except for about 1 tbp. return to the pot. 
2. Add the onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes just to soften them up.
3. Pour in the clam juice then add the potatoes and spices. 
4. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are fork tender.
5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan then add the flour to make a roux. That is where the thickening comes from.
6. Add the clams to the large pot and simmer for 3 minutes.
7. Stir in the roux and continue simmering.
8. Next temper the cream by heating it on high until small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. Whatever you do make sure it doesn’t come to a boil.
9. Stir the cream into the rest of the chowder, mix together, and take it away from the heat.

At this point you are done!  I always have to have some right away, usually with a small pat of butter and a few oyster crackers and some fresh ground salt & pepper, maybe a little fresh parsley on top from that overgrown herb garden.

Enjoy!