Hatteras Clam Chowder
A clear, broth-based clam chowder from the Outer Banks, built without cream or tomato and seasoned simply with bacon and onion.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Equipment
- •Large soup pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- fat
- 9
- carbs
- 24
- protein
- 18
- calories
- 260
Instructions
- 1
Cook the diced bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp.
- 2
Add the onion. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the diced potatoes and clam liquor mixed with water. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
- 4
Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the chopped clams. Simmer gently for another 5 minutes, and do not boil hard.
- 6
Season with black pepper and salt to taste.
- 7
Ladle into bowls. Serve with hot sauce and crackers on the side.
Chef's tips
Use the reserved clam liquor as your broth base instead of water for richer flavor. Do not add cream or tomatoes, as authentic Hatteras chowder relies on clam broth, potato starch, and bacon fat for body.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring, without boiling hard to keep clams tender.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the chowder hard, which makes the clams tough
- •Adding milk or cream, which ruins the authentic clear Hatteras broth
Serving suggestions
Cooked Hatteras Clam Chowder?
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