Crockpot New England Clam Chowder
Crockpot clam chowder gives you a thick, creamy New England-style pot with bacon, tender potatoes, and sweet clams. The slow cooker softens the potatoes and builds flavor, and the clams and cream go in at the end so they stay tender.
8
servings25
minutes6
hoursA thick, creamy chowder with bacon, potatoes, onion, and canned clams. Cream and clams are stirred in at the end.
Ingredients
6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, drained, juice reserved
1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 8 minutes until crisp. Move it to a paper towel and leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
- Add the onion and celery to the fat and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. This helps thicken the chowder.
- Scrape the vegetables into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the potatoes, reserved clam juice from the cans, bottled clam juice, broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove the bay leaves. Use a potato masher to crush about a quarter of the potatoes right in the pot. This thickens the broth naturally.
- Stir in the heavy cream, milk, and drained clams.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chowder is hot but not boiling. Boiling makes clams rubbery and can curdle dairy.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Serve with the crisp bacon on top and oyster crackers on the side.
Notes
- Use fresh clams if you can find them, steamed and chopped, and add them at the same stage. Keep leftovers for up to 3 days, and reheat gently, never boil. Potatoes turn grainy when frozen, so this chowder is better not frozen. Serve in bread bowls for a fun dinner.
Why clam chowder works so well in a slow cooker
New England clam chowder is thick, creamy, and slow-simmered, and a slow cooker is built for it. Six hours on LOW lets the potatoes soften and the bacon and clam juice flavor the whole pot. The chowder cooks without scorching, and the lid keeps the milk base gentle. It tastes like it simmered all afternoon at a seaside kitchen, with very little effort.
The cream is where chowders fail. Dairy added early can curdle in a long cook. Here the cream and milk go in at the very end, and the clams too, so they stay tender rather than turning rubbery.
Ingredient notes for crockpot New England clam chowder
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon gives smoky flavor and fat to cook the onions. Brown it first until crisp, and save a little to top the bowls. Render it slowly so the fat melts and the bits turn crisp.
Yukon Gold potatoes: They hold their shape and have a creamy texture. Cut them in half-inch cubes so they cook evenly. Russets fall apart and make the chowder cloudy. Do not skip this step, since it builds the base flavor of the soup.
Canned clams and clam juice: Chopped clams and bottled clam juice give the sea flavor. Drain the clams but save the liquid in the pot. Taste the clam juice before you add salt, as it can already be salty.
Flour: A quarter cup stirred into the bacon fat thickens the chowder without lumps.
Heavy cream and whole milk: A mix gives a rich body without being too heavy.
Tips for creamy, not curdled chowder
Add dairy last: The most common mistake is putting the cream in at the start. Wait until the potatoes are tender, then stir in the cream and milk and heat on LOW for twenty minutes. Stir it a few times in the first hour so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Add clams late: Clams toughen in a long cook. Stir them in at the end with the cream, and they just warm through. If the chowder looks thin at the end, leave the lid off for fifteen minutes on HIGH.
Mash a few potatoes: Press a cup of cooked potato against the side of the pot with a spoon. The starch thickens the soup without extra flour.
Swaps and variations for clam chowder
Use half-and-half for a lighter chowder, and add a cup of frozen corn for sweetness. Smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne adds warmth. Fresh clams steamed separately work too, and their liquor can replace the bottled juice. A splash of dry sherry at the end adds a sweet, nutty finish. For a thicker, heartier chowder, add a cup of frozen corn.
Do not use skim milk. Without the fat, it breaks and turns thin. Do not freeze the chowder either, since the potatoes go grainy and the dairy separates.
What to serve with clam chowder
Serve it in bowls with oyster crackers and a few bacon crumbs on top. Crusty sourdough bread, either toasted or in a bread bowl, is the classic partner. A crisp green salad with lemon dressing cuts the richness well. Serve it with a tomato salad for something fresh, and keep a pepper grinder at the table.
Storing and reheating clam chowder
Cool the chowder and store it in the fridge for up to three days. It thickens when cold, so thin it with a splash of milk when you reheat.
Warm it slowly in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, and never let it boil. High heat splits the cream and toughens the clams. Do not microwave it on high, which can break the cream.
Crockpot New England Clam Chowder at a glance
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 15, led by slices thick-cut bacon, yellow onion, celery stalks, garlic
Tips for Crockpot New England Clam Chowder
Use fresh clams if you can find them, steamed and chopped, and add them at the same stage. Keep leftovers for up to 3 days, and reheat gently, never boil. Potatoes turn grainy when frozen, so this chowder is better not frozen. Serve in bread bowls for a fun dinner.
Crockpot New England Clam Chowder FAQ
How long does Crockpot New England Clam Chowder take?
Crockpot New England Clam Chowder takes 6 hours of cooking after 25 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot New England Clam Chowder serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot New England Clam Chowder?
15 ingredients, led by slices thick-cut bacon, yellow onion, celery stalks, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
