Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Woodman's-Style Clam Chowder

After tasting the award-winning New England clam chowder at the immensely popular Woodman's of Essex in Massachusetts, we wanted to see if we could bring a recipe inspired by their version to home kitchens everywhere. At Woodman's, the team uses freshly shucked clams, relying on the quality of those bivalves to set their chowder apart.
We tried our own scaled-down version of the Woodman's recipe with the different varieties of canned clams available at our local grocery stores. We were pleasantly surprised with both the flavor and texture we got when using a combination of canned chopped clams and canned whole baby clams.
We began by partially cooking diced russet potatoes and mixing them with the chopped clams and their juice, finely chopped onion, salt, and pepper. After letting that mixture marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour (this step was crucial for letting the flavors meld since the chowder was cooked for such a short time), we heated it up slowly in a large saucepan over medium heat, carefully keeping the chowder below a simmer to avoid turning the clams rubbery.
Once the potatoes were almost tender, we added the whole baby clams and light cream. After just 5 minutes more, still below a simmer, the clams remained succulent and tender, the potatoes were cooked through and creamy, and the chowder was deliciously close to the one we remembered from Woodman's.
Finally, we melted in a knob of butter, enriching the relatively light chowder and adding the signature butteriness of the Woodman's version.
Servings: 6
Author: Cook's Country

Ingredients

  • 1¾ pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 2 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams
  • 2 cups finely chopped onion
  • 2½ teaspoons table salt divided
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 10-ounce cans whole baby clams
  • 2 cups light cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons instant mashed potato flakes optional

Instructions

Par cook the potatoes:

  • Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch.
  • Bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are al dente and a paring knife inserted into them still meets some resistance, about 3 minutes.
  • Drain the potatoes in a colander and transfer them to a medium bowl.
  • Let the potatoes cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Marinate the potatoes:

  • Add the chopped clams and their juice, the onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper to the potatoes and stir to combine.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Cook the chowder:

  • When ready to finish cooking the chowder, drain the whole clams through a fine-mesh strainer set over bowl.
  • Reserve the clam juice (you should have about 1 cup; add water if necessary to make up any difference).
  • Combine the potato mixture, reserved clam juice, and the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt in a large saucepan.
  • Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat (bubbles should just begin to form along the edge of the saucepan), stirring often (it will take about 10 minutes to reach a bare simmer).
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to keep the chowder just below a simmer, until the potatoes are mostly tender, about 5 minutes.

Finish and serve:

  • Stir in the whole clams and the cream.
  • Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring often to keep the chowder just below a simmer, until the potatoes are fully tender and the chowder is hot throughout, about 5 minutes.
  • Off heat, stir in the butter and potato flakes, if using, until combined.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with oyster crackers.

Notes

  • To make this recipe more accessible, we call for two kinds of canned, rather than fresh, clams: chopped clams and whole baby clams. Be sure to purchase the best-quality canned clams you can find; they are typically a little more expensive, but they make a difference.
  • The Woodman's of Essex clam chowder is relatively thin compared with other New England clam chowders. We use instant mashed potato flakes to thicken ours slightly; their impact is subtle and they help bolster the potato flavor. However, if you prefer a thinner chowder, omit the potato flakes.
  • If you can't find light cream, you can substitute a combination of 1½ cups of heavy cream and ½ cup of whole milk.