Mrs. King's Windemere Clam Chowder
Submitted by TUCKIE
New England clam chowder made with 12 cans of minced clams, potatoes, bacon, and whole milk, never boiled and aged three hours for peak flavor. Creamy, old-fashioned big-batch chowder that ripens as it rests.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
1 hrsThis is the kind of recipe that tells you exactly what it is: never boil, always ripen. Mrs. King knew that clam chowder punished shortcuts, and her rules still hold. The “never boil” rule prevents the milk from scorching and the clams from seizing into rubber; the 3-hour rest lets the flavors marry into something deeper than any same-day chowder.
Twelve cans of clams gets you there. The juice goes into the pot first to simmer the potatoes and onions, infusing the starch with brine before the dairy arrives. That layered flavor-build is why this tastes like the real deal instead of canned soup with extra cream.
Blending one can of clams with two cups of milk creates a thickener-substitute. The pureed clams break down into a silky base that gives body without flour or roux.
A pinch of baking soda dissolved in water is a little trick: it neutralizes acidity in the milk and helps prevent curdling when the clam juice hits the dairy.
Chef Tips
- Cook uncovered after adding the dairy. Covering traps steam that condenses back and can break the soup.
- A single bay leaf or a pinch of white pepper rounds out the seasoning beautifully, even if Mrs. King didn’t specify it.
- Bacon is listed as optional but is strongly recommended. Render it slowly and use the fat to cook the onions for deeper flavor.
- Reheat over low heat, stirring gently. High heat will split the dairy.
Variations
- Stir in a half-cup of corn kernels with the clams for a Rhode Island-style twist.
- Use fresh shucked clams if you can get them, reserving the liquor as the poaching broth.
- Finish with fresh chopped chives and a drizzle of good olive oil instead of butter for a lighter touch.
Ingredients
Directions
Open 11 cans of clams.
Separate clams into a bowl and pour clam juice into a large cooking pot.
Add potatoes and onions to clam juice. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
From this point on, always cook in an uncovered pot over low or medium heat.
NEVER allow the chowder to boil!
Add clams, worcestershire sauce and optional bacon.
In a blender, mix very thoroughly 2 cups of milk, 12th can of clams.
Slowly stir the blended mixture into the cooking clams. Add the remaining 2 cups of milk.
Turn heat down to low.
Cook for 10 to 15 minutes; stir occasionally.
Dissolve the baking soda in one teaspoon of water.
Float the stick of butter or margarine on the chowder. When it melts, fold it in.
Allow the chowder to ripen for at least 3 hours before serving.
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