Bob’s Bacon Potato Clam Chowder
Bob’s Bacon Potato Clam Chowder, a classic New England recipe, makes a comforting, delicious meal for the whole family! Bacon renders, then an onion cooks in the rendered fat. Add flour and butter to create a roux, then add clam juice and whole clams! When the mixture thickens, add milk, potatoes and water. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Perfect for any season, this chowder sings of the sea.
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CLAM CHOWDAH.
It’s not really a recipe us born-and-bred inland Southerners know a lot about. In fact, I’d never tried it until we traveled to Cape Cod for a wedding a few years back.
It’s not a thing from where I’m from. (See: Landlocked state with no fresh seafood options… even though those options are getting better and better by the day!)
So when it was suggested that we make Clam Chowder when we were visiting Memphis this summer, I agreed … assuming someone knew how to make it.
I KNOW, I know. Ridiculous.
Luckily for us, my mom’s boyfriend, Bob, knows a little something about Clam Chowder.
In fact, he knows a ton about it because he made it in restaurant kitchens for years… and he showed me how to make his Bacon Potato Clam Chowder.
Unsurprisingly, it’s really good.
Bob’s food philosophy is similar to my own: He’s not shy about using full-flavor and fat ingredients, though if there’s a lower fat shortcut he can use, he’ll do it… so long as the flavor is still on point.
So this Clam Chowder recipe? It doesn’t call for heavy cream like so many chowder recipes do.
That said, this chowder still delightfully decadent, delicious and something I’ve been craving ever since the weather is less than 90° in Dallas. (Yes, I’m a cooler weather soup person because I now live on the surface of the sun, AKA North Texas, where summer will never end.)
Erin’s Recommended Tools/Products for Bob’s Bacon Potato Clam Chowder
- Bob suggests using a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot or a Dutch oven. (Check out the Nordic Ware 8-Quart Stockpot and the Calphalon 6-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot if you don’t have one on hand. If you’re feeling fancy and want to drop some dough on a Dutch oven, my Le Creuset 5-Quart Enameled Cast-Iron Oval French (Dutch) Oven has been a favorite since the day it arrived.) If you’ve got leftovers, he suggests reheating the chowder in this with additional milk.
- Chowder is a beautiful white color, so amp up the presentation with beautiful bowls! These funky Certified International Soup Bowls or these Mikasa Ontario Soup Cereal Bowls would pair beautifully with the chowder. If you’re looking for a more classic, neutral bowl, this Broadway Soup Cereal Bowl offers a fun pattern without being distracting.
- Good soup spoons. Like these Christofle América Cream Soup Spoons or these Carrs Silver Bead Silver Soup Spoons.
More seafood recipes to try:
Now who’s ready for some CHOWDAH?
Here’s how we made Bob’s classic recipe:
Bacon Potato Clam Chowder
Ingredients
- 8 oz. bacon chopped fine
- ½ white onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 lbs. chopped clams fresh or frozen; if frozen, these must be defrosted
- 8 oz. clam juice
- 1 qt. 2% milk
- 2 russet potatoes chopped into bite-sized pieces and cooked until al dente
- 12 oz. water
- Salt and white pepper to taste
Equipment
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Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, render the bacon.
- Once the bacon has rendered, remove the meat. (We won’t use this in our recipe, but if you want, you can let it drain on a paper towel and use as a garnish with the chowder is finished.) Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the onion, stirring until the onion is coated in the bacon fat. Cook until the onion softens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the butter, stirring until it melts.
- Measure in the flour to create the roux. Stir the onion, bacon fat, butter and flour together. Let the flour cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Lower the heat to the lowest setting. Add the clam juice and the chopped clams to the Dutch oven. Heat slowly as the soup thickens.
- Add the milk, the pre-cooked potatoes and the water. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Slowly heat the chowder over medium heat until the proper consistency. Please take caution that you to not bring to a boil because of the dairy products used in this recipe. The finished chowder should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If the soup gets too thick, add a little more milk to thin it out to proper consistency.
- Serve warm with oyster crackers, and enjoy!
Nutrition
How do you like your clam chowder?
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Nothing beats a good clam chowder, and I 200% have confidence that Bob’s got the chowdah thing down pat! My brother’s huge on making homemade clam chowder, so I’m sharing this recipe with him and recommending we make it for the next family get together. Looks amazing, m’dear!
Erin, a suggested substitution for Bob’s Baked Potato clam chowder. Figuring the clam chowder is the power base for this recipe, try substituting cheese tortellini for the potato. Just a thought. We love it.