Rocky Point / R.I. Red Clam Chowder
The fodder for my longest culinary rant to date… It’s also a pretty simple soup to whip up. Here’s how to get to the Ocean State Classic:
- 1⁄4lb salt pork, diced
- 1/2 lb onion, chopped
- 1/2 gallon clam juice (See Notes)
- 1/2 lb Russet potato, peeled & diced (See Notes)
- 1.5 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup canned tomato puree
- 3 cups chopped quahogs or small clams
- water, as needed
- salt & pepper
- Old Bay Seasoning, optional
- Plain White Crackers, like saltines or oyster crackers, for crushing into the chowder (See Notes)
- In a large stockpot, heat the salt pork until fat melts.
- Add chopped onions; Cook over gentle heat until very soft.
- Add clam juice, potatoes, paprika, tomato puree, and a little salt & pepper. Simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 40 minutes), adding water if it seems too much has evaporated.
- Add quahogs/clams. Simmer another 20 minutes
- Taste for seasoning, adding more salt & pepper to your liking.
- Serve with a sprinkle of Old Bay Seasoning (optional) and crackers.
NOTES:
Clam Juice: It’s ok to use water, or even light chicken stock, instead of clam juice. This chowder will develop a good flavor on the clams themselves.
Potatoes: Large starchy Russets, not new/baby potatoes, work best as they thicken the chowder as it cooks. I take the opposite route for white chowder as it already utilizes other thickening agents
Red chowders aren’t really thick on their own. But many Rhode Islanders would crush up crackers and add them in towards the end of simmering for a heartier soup.
Pilot Crackers: Nabisco’s Crown Pilot Crackers were the go-to. Until Rocky Point Park closed. And Nabisco stopped making them. Water Crackers are essentially the same item. So are Saltines, especially when unsalted…
