Absolute Beginner's Guide to Clamming & How to make New England Clam Chowder

Being from the East Coast, we prefer our chowder a certain way so we wanted to share with you our New England clam chowder recipe! Hopefully you can go clamming and make this too!
Ingredients: 4 strips bacon, 1 8 oz bottle of clam juice, 2 cups of homemade clam broth, 1 celery stalk chopped, 5 red potatoes chopped, 1 onion chopped, 1/3 cup flour, 1 cup whole milk,
flour slurry (mix 1/2 cup half and half and 1/3 cup flour), clams (however many you want)
Directions:
Clam Broth:
1. Fill a pot with the clams and enough water to cover them, then an additional 1 inch of water above it.
2. Bring to a boil and cook covered for about 4 minutes.
3. Adjust heat to low and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove clams as they start to open. When cool enough to handle, remove clams from their shell.
5. Strain broth to get rid of extra particles/shell pieces.
Chowder
1. Cook bacon until crispy and remove from pan, leaving some bacon fat left (you can keep rendered bacon fat in a glass jar and use it for later cooking). Chop/crumble bacon to desired size
2. Cook onion and celery until tender.
3. Add potatoes and both the homemade clam broth and bar harbor clam juice (called juice, but is broth).
4. Heat on high until boiling. Once boiling, lower heat to low-low medium and cook uncovered until potatoes are tender.
5. Add in milk, clams, and half of the bacon and cook for 3-5 minutes.
6. Add flour slurry slowly while whisking and cook until thickened. (The slurry is what will make the chowder thicker)
7.Pour into bowl and top with bacon.
8. Enjoy!
Song: Horizon - Ikson / ikson

[@rustinmyveins]

This looks fantastic! When I was a teenager, I worked in a fish and chips restaurant bussing tables and doing dishes, and I lived on this style of chowder. The pay and hours were terrible, the waitresses didn't share their tips (they usually drank them at the end of the night...) and the owner was a jerk, but the cook would pass me a bowl when I had a break and it seemed like perfection... Excellent video and great recipe. I wish you guys were still active.

[@3Dprint4you]

I’ve been a professional chef for 35 years and have made countless hundreds/thousands of gallons of clam chowder. Bacon is such an essential part of clam chowder in my opinion. Yes the purists will complain but let them . The smokiness from the bacon really finishes it off, with a touch of Tabasco sauce of course. You guys nailed it. It was a perfect looking chowder, I’m sure it tasted just as amazing. Great job! The only thing I would do different would be to make a roux as part of the cooking process with the bacon fat and butter. It gives you a super creamy and nutty flavor from browning the flour while making the roux. Hats off and it made my mouth water. Thanks for sharing!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Don Sanchez thanks Don!

[@88WhiteRhino]

I can't tell you how many I have seen that don't care about size or replacing the habitat. What do they expect to leave for their kids ect, Thankyou for everything!

[@wesleyhouse8394]

Saw you guys on fisherman's life. I watched just one video and now this is one of my favorite channels. I really appreciate how much care you put into keeping the areas you forage as you found them. Fantastic content Cute couple

[@SeasonsToTaste]

wesley householter thank you very much!

[@frthlooam]

Glad you guys did a collaboration with Outdoor Chef Life! Awesome video and channel!

[@ToadLicker10]

I used to cut my hands a lot digging for soft shell clams in cape cod, good times.

[@jeffreyrose46]

Guys another informative video....well done. Thanks... now I'm craving clam chowder😂😂💖☺

[@dianediem4510]

Very informative! Thank you. Looks delicious

[@lerenguktiull6323]

Enjoyed every minute of it!!

[@christineb4179]

I really like how you said to leave things as you find them. I want to do this, great video!

[@alfredsmalley25]

Thank you, I've never seen this channel before, but you came up because I was looking to find out how to dig clams and you showed me so much more. I will be making my own clam chowder as soon as possible. Thank you for telling me that I need a license , I did not even know think of that.

[@SearchandDevour]

yum!!! super informative. love the kitchen shots, there was a lot of cool stuff happening in this video!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Thanks!

[@randyparr2947]

I’m so going to find some clams now. Looks simple enough. Thanks

[@redknight65]

Bear Grylls really doesnt need to eat worms 😑

[@CarrieGerenScogginsOfficial]

Thanks for the clam chowder recipe.

[@ayechapin1]

Wow that looks amazing...

[@tastyoutnabout6538]

Had to watch this video again since my last clamming trip was not very good. Lol. I'm excited to go this weekend again. yay!!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Tasty Out N About nice! Good luck this weekend!

[@tastyoutnabout6538]

@@SeasonsToTaste Thanks guys!!

[@OutdoorChefLife]

mmmm tasty!

[@tastyoutnabout6538]

Thanks for sharing!! I might just go this weekend and make some chowder. Looks so good!!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Thanks! We were really happy with how it turned out!

[@imthirtybro9438]

Awesome video. Thanks 🙏.

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

Hopefully I’ll have my first successful clam dig today! Just came here to make sure I’m not missing any important pointers before I hit the road to go digging. Thanks for sharing brother

[@sparkyrowe3903]

Excellent. I didn't know it was so easy. Low tide only?. Love clam chowder. Thanks for showing me how.

[@SeasonsToTaste]

sparky rowe honestly it doesn’t even need to be a super low tide. As long as the rocks are exposed around the tideline

[@SweetsHunter]

Woww!!!!! 😋🤤😋

[@aSistaAndTheOcean]

I learned how to clam with my feet in the Summer months. We waited for low tide.. and dug around with our feet. I had a floating cooler with ice, beer, hot sause, and vinegar. As soon as they got cold.. pop them babies open.. put some sause it them.. and delicious .😋 My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

[@yorquiar5350]

The next best thing 😅💪🏽💪🏽

[@islander1260]

Definitely a beginner, but it certainly looks delicious and I’d absolutely share a bowl with you. Good job.

[@eliot327]

Cool. my grandfather is from Maine so I have inherited a taste for steamers oysters and lobster. I live in San Diego and have never thought to try this before.

[@sjp2775]

Nice!👌 Yum! 😋 Thanks....

[@YatoOfficial]

Nice video!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Thanks!

[@elkhunter76]

Looks delicious! Truly wish we could do that but not much available in the Rocky Mountains!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

The only “shellfish” I’m thinking of in the Rockies are Rocky Mountain oysters haha. But if you have a market that sells canned clams I know people use that as well!

[@davidf1072]

Location of this shoot? Awesome videos. Watched almost every single one today!

[@stevetautog880]

great vid, you two are in love and having fun,,, that's nice,,,,,, one thing,, if you have fresh clams,, next time instead of using clam juice from the jar,,, although, Bar harbor is also the best brand,. still you cannot need to go to the store bought processed / preserved etc clam juice when all you have to do is use some of the liquid in which you cooked the clams,,,,,,,,,,PLEASE,, oh the proof of what I am saying will be in the taste of the finished product trust me

[@crossbowchris3676]

Thanks for this recipe! Gonna be trying it soon I hope. I do have an unrelated question but where are some good places I should check out to freedive/spearfish? No boat so mainly shore dive/kayak spots. I am moving to the south shore area like Weymouth/Quincy in a few days from Florida and want to keep diving and fishing when I get there. I have found some info marking diving spots around the Gloucester area but just reaching out to fellow freediver/spearo for some tailored information and possibly more local to where Ill be south of Boston. Thanks if you can help!

[@crumply5959]

Milk curdles at boiling temperatures. If dont like the texture of milk curdles in your chowder you should put it in last after the soup cools down a little.

[@thomasbaron9928]

Looks yummy I'm going next weekend ..are u still posting ?

[@michelegoetz5713]

So amazing to go clamming and make chowdah! Couple of tips - If you wait to put in the cream, it won’t curdle. And, you won’t need to do a slurry. At the end of cooking, lower the temp. temper the cream (adding in some of the broth), then add slowly back into the pot. Bring the temp back up, stirring slowly, and the soup thickens. Adding a little kosher salt and pepper allows you to minimize or avoid using bottled claim juice you need too. If you can, bring back ocean salt water and use that to cook the clams in. That’s the New England way!

[@JRKPower]

Thanks for another great video! Definitely want to try this recipe. Can you tell me if the clamming areas are north of San Francisco or south of SF? Just need a general direction to travel too 😋 thanks!

[@SeasonsToTaste]

You can find them both north and south! Make sure to check online that you’re not in a protected area first though!

[@sandrobruni7575]

Where was this beach/bay you went clamming? I've gone clamming with my grandfather and his friend in Duxbury bay a few years ago and I'll just say the work paid off.

[@Meg_Coons]

How do you use the corn meal to filter them love to see a video on that

[@MrJoshcc600]

Is a wives tale don't worry about it

[@jacenharding2674]

My father and I went clamming for quahogs (we live in RI) today, we found some under the water, (he used our rake, I snorkeled and dug with my hands) but none out of the water

[@ripalltrac]

👌💯

[@Howwerelivingfishing]

Just adding this for emphasis, another good reason you should cover your sand holes up after digging is somebody could break an ankle by tripping into the hole. It alsmost happened to me when I was fishing recently, I was walking sideways and not watching, and my whole body almost fell in a hole that was about 3 feet deep. I was fine, but it could have really hurt somebody especially an elder.

[@welpoof4732]

The clam you found ~4:45 looks like a Purple Varnish Clam to me

[@larryphan1124]

Nice video, Could you please tell me where is it at?

[@garydilbeck8882]

First saw y’all on Fisherman’s Life. He said we would like your channel and guess what??? “I’m hooked”! (Worst pun I could think of). Fine job!! BTW #$&@ the purist folks.. put the Celery in! Just sayin.

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Yeah our thought is usually just “eat it however it tastes good for you”

[@Jamie-ir3kr]

Love the video! What part of the east coast?

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Jamie Costain New England! (Mass)

[@bradleydowning4655]

Thanks for the clamming demo. Your recipe is good and simple, but why didn't you start with the butter, onion, celery and flour? Is the slurry a traditional NE technique? Starting with the flour in the saute should make it thicker in the end, while eliminating any raw flour taste. I also would have waited on adding the clams until the end. For me, they tend to get tough if over-cooked. Again, thanks.

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Bradley Downing i believe traditional NE chowder isn’t even thick at all, we taste tested and decided to add it at the end just to thicken it up. Definitely agree that cooking the flour down would eliminate any flour taste but we thought ours tasted really good! Good tip on the clams too, we liked the texture (not tough) but throwing them in at the end would guarantee not overcooking them since they’re ready to eat after making the broth.

[@langjai26]

This looks like a very nice spot. Where is this spot at ?

[@Dfgh21]

Thank you for your video but where is this place?

[@lifeofpost2220]

👍

[@rhythmoutside]

Dunno what area you're in, but the mystery clam looked like a Tivela stultorum mave(pismo clam) to me.

[@owlfan3361]

So wait in canned clam chowder does not have clams in it?

[@littletump]

Did the bacon over power the flavor in the soup? Looks delicious. My fav soup NE chowder. I'd suggest try making a paella??

[@SeasonsToTaste]

Definitely looking to make a paella in the future! We actually removed some of the rendered bacon fat because we didn’t want to over power it. (We keep some in a jar for later use).

[@3Dprint4you]

I’ve been a professional chef for 35 years and have made countless hundreds/thousands of gallons of clam chowder. Bacon is such an essential part of clam chowder. The purists couldn’t be more wrong. There are recipes dating back to 1750 of clam chowder being made with bacon in Boston. The smokiness from the bacon really finishes it off, with a touch of Tabasco sauce of course, not so traditional. No celery? Again no way. After cooking and rendering the bacon the onions and celery would be sweated in that fat, also from recipes found in the Boston evening post from 1750. This is where i would break from tradition and the way you did it. I would make a roux as part of the cooking process using all that bacon fat. It gives you the thickening you are looking for with an incredible nutty flavor. The way you did it can be tough for a beginner because you can get lumps or worse not get the flour taste cooked out all the way. You guys nailed it. It was a perfect looking chowder, I’m sure it tasted just as amazing. Great job! Hats off and it made my mouth water. Thanks for sharing!

[@carolyngaulin8297]

Don't forget a permit! You don't want a ticket ! You got quahogs Clams have necks I from Massachusetts

[@ChezJ1]

I’ve been clamming once in my life, have you ever heard of Dillon (sp?) beach in California? It was one of the best times of my life. Ppl camping right on the beach in their vehicles, and cooking all kinds of clam dishes. There’s NOTHING like clam chowder made with FRESH clams right out of the sand. The chowder looked amazing as well, I don’t put bacon in mine, and I use a little chicken BASE! not bouillon in mine, it gives it a little sumpin sumpin that makes ppl go 🤨🤔 what is that? 🤫

[@SeasonsToTaste]

We haven’t, but we may have to check it out! Might have to try it with chicken base as well. Have wondered about the effect different stocks could have on the chowder too. Maybe even some New England clams with a lobster broth could be a great combo too!

[@ChezJ1]

Seasons To Taste Yes it would be. 👍

[@ernestrodriguez1465]

Hey why are you not posting videos anymore

[@jamesryan5868]

That’s a soft clam or also called a pisser clam , delicious

[@aaronhenderson8502]

Where is this? Fisherman's life sent me

[@eunicetran6111]

aaron henderson it’s so hard finding clamming spots :(

[@davidmiller8030]

I would have added a red or orange bell pepper

[@HildebrandGlossop]

I don't know for sure but that looks like a Macoma at 4:38.

[@mmmmmray]

I second the notion that it's a Macoma!

[@jennifersenger8549]

Make potpies!

[@arrowb3408]

Well, good instruction till 3:18. Anyway, at least I learn how to spot.

[@JamesD401]

Lucky in Rhode Island we get to clam for free

[@miainsel4389]

That other clam at the end was a little neck or a small quahog

[@miainsel4389]

Just as delicious

[@jamesryan5868]

That clam was actually called a soft clam or pisser clam , I was a commercial clammer back in the day , they are delicious

[@amandakatedonovan]

Hope y’all have a permit and aren’t poaching from the beds.

[@rainbowsadface4100]

Get a job