New England Clam Chowder

As you travel from coastal diner to coastal diner, you’ll encounter various regional styles of clam chowder. New England clam chowders, such as this one, rely on milk or heavy cream for rich body. Dairy-free Manhattan clam chowder is built with a thinner tomato-based broth. Rhode Island—which, yes, is technically part of New England—has a signature version, too, made with neither dairy nor tomatoes. And that’s not to mention all the other varieties floating around, like fish chowder and corn chowder.

While we can’t say which is the definitive best clam chowder, this version from Boston’s legendary Skipjack’s restaurant is the quintessence of Northeastern comfort food. Don’t worry, you won’t need to seek out fresh clams for this recipe (though, if you wanted to, we have a recipe for that). A combination of canned clams and bottled clam juice gives this easy, weeknight-friendly soup its briny punch. While some recipes use white wine or chicken broth in its place, clam juice imparts an essential seafood flavor to the dish. Can’t find it? Fish stock makes a worthwhile substitute. As for the dairy, if you don’t have half-and-half, feel free to substitute heavy cream, whole milk, or a combination.

Instead of salt pork, we opt for bacon here, both for ease and its smoky backbone. Cooking the veg in the bacon fat builds levels of flavor, while a simple roux gives the chowder body. Russet potatoes, which fall apart, releasing starch as they’re boiled, will also thicken the broth; if you prefer spuds that hold their shape, opt for diced Yukon Gold potatoes instead.

If you want to go the extra mile and garnish with crispy shallots or frizzled leeks fried in bacon drippings, we won’t object. Just don’t forget the oyster crackers.