American · main

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder reads umami 7.1, richness 6.5 and salinity 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 36 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Richness 6.5 · Salinity 5.9 · Marine & Briny 5.0 · Smoke 3.6 · Allium 3.5 · Sweetness 2.3 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Bitterness 0.8 · Heat 0.7 · Sourness 0.7 · Floral 0.5

What's in it (15)

• clams — 553 g
• bacon — 170 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• celery — 80 g
• unsalted butter — 41 g
• all-purpose flour — 40 g
• bottles of clam juice — 473 g
• yellow new potatoes — 680 g
• bay — 2 g
• thyme — 1 g
• regular milk — 473 g
• heavy cream — 237 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• chives — 7 g

Time & effort: about 36 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 134.2 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 5.5 g fat, 15.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Drain the canned clams into a bowl, reserving the juice; combine that juice with the bottled clam juice (about 3 cups total liquid) and refrigerate the clams themselves until step 7 — held out this long, they stay tender instead of turning to rubber.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat has rendered, 7-8 minutes; transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
3. Add the onion and celery to the bacon fat and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Push the vegetables to the side, melt the butter in the cleared space, then sprinkle the flour over everything and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture is pale golden, about 2 minutes — this roux is what keeps the chowder silky instead of watery or gluey.
5. Whisk in the reserved clam juice a little at a time to keep the roux smooth, then add the potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, 12-15 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk and cream; warm gently until steaming, 3-4 minutes — do not let it boil, or the dairy can break.
7. Stir in the reserved clams and their juice along with the salt and pepper; cook just until the clams are heated through, 2-3 minutes — any longer and they'll turn tough. Discard the bay leaves.
8. Taste and adjust the salt, then ladle into bowls and top with the crispy bacon and chives.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Manhattan-Style Tomato Clam Chowder — American
• Corn and Shrimp Chowder — American
• Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo — Cajun/Creole
• Gumbo — Southern
• Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup with Dried Scallop (Dung Gwa Tong) — Chinese · Cantonese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.