Rhode Island Clam Chowder
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:8 to 10 servings
- 24medium-size quahog clams, usually rated ‘‘top neck’’ or ‘‘cherrystone,’’ rinsed
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼pound slab bacon or salt pork, diced
- 1large Spanish onion, diced
- 2large ribs celery, cleaned and diced
- 12red bliss potatoes, cubed
- ½cup dry white wine
- 3sprigs thyme
- 1bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼cup chopped parsley.
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
343 calories; 11 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 539 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Put the clams in a large, heavy Dutch oven, add about 4 cups water, then set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until clams have opened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. (Clams that fail to open after 15 to 20 minutes should be discarded.) Strain clam broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or doubled-up paper towels, and set aside. Remove clams from shells, and set those aside as well.
- Step 2
Rinse out the pot, and return it to the stove. Add butter, and turn heat to medium-low. Add the bacon or salt pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork has started to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pork from fat, and set aside.
- Step 3
Add onions and celery to the fat, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and wine, and continue cooking until the wine has evaporated and the potatoes have just started to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of clam broth, reserving the rest for another use. Add the thyme and the bay leaf.
- Step 4
Partly cover the pot, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
- Step 5
Meanwhile, chop the clams into bits that are about the size of the bacon dice.
- Step 6
When the potatoes are tender, stir in the chopped clams and reserved bacon. Add black pepper to taste. Let the chowder come just to a simmer, and remove from heat. Fish out the thyme and bay leaf, and discard.
- Step 7
The chowder should be allowed to sit for a while to cure. Reheat it before serving, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Lauren
I love this recipe and have made it several times. It may be sacrilege, but I use canned clams (3-4 of those small cans) and the juice and then enough bottled clam juice to make 4 cups broth and it comes out delicious. One of these days I'll get ambitious a story it with real clams!
Alan
Nice recipe. Instead of cheesecloth, use a coffee filter in a medium sized strainer over a bowl.
Mark
No more supremacy battle between New England (dairy) and Manhattan (tomato) chowder: they're fighting for second place behind this recipe! Skipping cream and tomato lets the salt water clam essence shine through perfectly. After steaming clams, reduce the strained broth over medium heat until you have the amount required for the soup -- it will help concentrate the flavors. Taste before throwing in more salt! Leftovers keep well for a few days.
beaconps
I have reconciled the chowder wars with new nomenclature. We have City, Farmer, and Fisherman chowder. The City folks emptied their ice boxes of leftovers when they made chowder. The farmers had milk in abundance. The fisherman had neither ice boxes or cows on their vessel, but they had potatoes and onions and butter and preferred their chowder pure and clear.
Joy Griswold
That is it! (but w/o the butter, but Ok) I live is South County, RI and that is how we do it.... simple and delicious, fresh dill is good, too, if you don't have thyme, either or....
Sam
Good recipe but I would suggest a few changes: Do not steam the clams open- this makes them tough. Instead shuck them, with the juice, into a bowl and stain out the juice. Use the fresh clam juice as the liquid in the recipe (I never have used wine - but not opposed to it!) Chop the raw clams and add them JUST before you serve the chowder so they are warmed but essentially raw. The second suggestion makes a huge difference and is really easy - use leeks instead of onions .
Rayna
Love this recipe! To any pescatarians/non-pork eaters out there, I’ve made this with and without the pork, and (though maybe it’s sacrilege?!) I think I actually prefer it without. I just used a bit more butter and salt to make up the difference, and that worked nicely. So, if anyone is worrying that this might be bland without the pork, don’t—there’s a nice delicate briny flavor that comes through, and though it’s a different dish, it’s just as good!
Peter
I love New England style Chowder but this could be my new Fav. Much lighter and just as flavorful. Made it to the specs and the results were great. Don't miss the step where the Chowder cures. I left it in the pot for two hours and then reheated. It made a big difference in the consistency and flavor.
Karen
We loved this recipe and I, like another reviewer, made it with canned clams, their juice, and bottled clam juice in lieu of fresh clams. So delicious and you never miss the cream!
speacock23
A non-disposable metal mesh coffee filter is a handy replacement for paper coffee filters and cheesecloth.
isotopia
Store didn't have quite enough clams (16) so I made up the difference with a chopped (small) lobster tail and a nice piece of halibut. I know these additions push the recipe into the 'seafood chowder' lane but the basic ingredients made for an astoundingly perfect dish on a cold, rainy day here in California. Thank you.
Cassie Ferrier
This is my go to recipe for Clam Chowder, love the broth better than cream or tomato. My only addition is a heavy teaspoon of dried ginger. It adds a great wake up call.
Carey
Whole milk? Then you made New England clam chowder, not Rhode Island.
M A
Yes, this is a good work-around. The juice from 4 cans(filtered) plus 2 8-oz bottles is perfect.
sandrasizer
Make sure the salt pork is cut in fine dice and cooked to a deep mahogany brown. You can easily leave out the celery, but don't stint on the onions and potatoes. I have never used wine, only whole milk. Don't let the chowder heat to more than a simmer, or it might curdle.
sfwom1
Liked this better than cream based but still not a fan of clam only soup. Took a long time with multiple changes of water to get clams to release grit. Try soaking in salt water for one hour. Scrub shells too. The broth was delicious. No need to add extra store bought clam juice.
sfwom1
Soak & scrub clams THOROUGHLY. One hour in salty water. Broth was delicious. However not a fan of clam only seafood soups.
Scott Miniea
Having just heard of RI style chowder, I was intrigued. In Missouri (where quahogs are pretty scarce), I (like others) use canned clams and their liquid, and four cans was about right. I had to supplement the quantity of liquid a tad (with more wine) to get to 4 cups, and I had a couple of spoonfuls of leftover cooked corn in the fridge, so I threw that in just to avoid wasting it. I had to use dried parsley. I also used “B size” red potatoes. Tasty!
Lauren P.
Has anyone used razor clams with this recipe? I’m wondering how much would equal quahogs? Maybe the clams measured by weight would be helpful for non-east coast people.
David Spence
The recipe says "Remove clams from shells, and set those aside as well." But what are we supposed to do with those shells?
MemeHB
Tried this because of the mention of Block Island in the description. Using Sam’s guidance, I opened the clams and added them at the end vs. steaming them. This recipe fills in some of the gaps in an old family recipe that was missing a few details so hard to replicate. It worked perfectly. And, if you are concerned about opening all those clams, try a clam ram. Made quick work of 40 clams. Thank you!
Scott Hammer
Like others, I also committed sacrilege by using canned clams. Otherwise, I made it according to the recipe and it came out great! Next time I'll use four cans of clams instead of three and add a little more clam juice. I may reduce the number of potatoes slightly, too.
mmkay
Prep/cook time is an hour. A suggested time frame for curing would be most helpful: an hour, overnight? Tasting it freshly made it’s a bit too clammy(?) so hard to tell how long for it to mellow.
Allen H
The origin of clear broth chowder just may be in North Carolina from colonial times. It's a bit different today as 'back then' the broth was from actually using the salty waters of Core Sound when it was clean enough to use directly. It's by far the best tasting chowder style. It's pretty close to the Rhode Island style herein and everyone has their own close version. A bit of bacon or salt pork does add some flavor but use it sparingly as it can overpower the entire dish.
KCM2024
Happy to make this recipe as a nod to my home state. Made it according to directions. It's wicked good chowdah!
erose
I always have shrimp broth in my freezer. The addition adds another layer of flavor. I like a thicker consistency so I grate a potato toward the end of cooking.
Bobbi
Ever since the first time I ate noank clam chowder in CT, I've never fixed any other kind. But as a pescatarian/vegetarian for the last 50 years who still misses bacon, I have been known to add 1-3 bits of smashed up bacon bits to give it just a hint of bacon...any more than that and it tastes artificial.
Rick Bella
Amazing to see this recipe. I make an astonishing similar recipe after trying to imitate a local restaurant. The only difference is I don't chop up the clams. Either way, I can attest that the outcome is -- and will be -- delicious.
Heather
Made this exactly as written and was the best clam chowder I have ever had. This will become a winter staple.
PMinNJ
Since my days of sailing in Long Island Sound and around Block Island, Rhode Island Clam Chowder has been my favorite and I'm glad to have a recipe -- BUT I have a couple of comments on the recipe: 12 Red Bliss Potatoes -- they come in sizes from golf ball to soft ball -- could you provide a measurement? Add 4 cups of clam broth -- when it isn't mentioned in the ingredient list? I KNOW we're supposed to read the recipe through first, but that's a serious omission.
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