New York Clam Chowder

Manhattan clam chowder (sometimes called New York clam chowder) is the tomato-based one. No cream, no milk, just a clear, brothy soup built on browned salt pork, canned tomatoes, and the briny juice from a dozen hard clams. It’s lighter and more acidic than its New England cousin, and the clam flavor comes through sharper without dairy muffling it.

Browning the salt pork first renders out fat and creates smoky, crispy bits that form the flavor base. The onion cooks in that rendered pork fat until golden, then the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and water go in to simmer until the vegetables are tender.

The clams and their juice go in at the very end, just long enough to reheat. Overcooking clams turns them rubbery and tough. You want them tender and briny, barely warmed through.

Kitchen Tips

• Use hard-shell clams (quahogs or cherrystones) for the meatiest, most flavorful chowder. Littlenecks work but are smaller and more expensive.
• Save the clam juice and use it in place of some or all of the water. The recipe even notes that clam juice makes it better.
• Cut the potatoes and carrots to similar sizes so they finish cooking at the same time.
• A teaspoon of thyme is just right. It adds an herbal note without overpowering the clams.

Variations

• Add diced celery with the onion for a more traditional base.
• Stir in a splash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicier chowder.
• Use bacon instead of salt pork for a smokier, more accessible flavor.