The Clam Chowder Battle

Most Americans would say that the United States has two clam chowders, the creamy New England-style and the tomato-based Manhattan kind. They know this due in large part to the Campbell’s Soup company bringing both chowders to the masses. Who didn’t grow up with Mom pouring a can of clam chowder into a pot? Living in North Carolina on Bogue Banks, as I now do, I would argue there are three types of clam chowder in America, the third and best being North Carolina’s own. Some people call it “Hatteras clam chowder,” others call it “Down East clam chowder,” but I simply call it “clam chowder” because here in North Carolina, it’s always made with mostly clams.

Agreeing on a clam chowder recipe is no small deal. In the Northeastern United States, where I grew up, and where those other two chowders are from, people were passionate over which recipe they preferred: Milk- or cream-based New England-style with potatoes and onions or Manhattan-style featuring a tomato base, chunks of tomato, along with soup vegetables like carrots, peppers and onions seasoned with garlic and red pepper flakes. Critics of Manhattan clam chowder think that tomatoes pollute the stew. So does milk or cream, as far as native coastal North Carolinians were concerned. They put nothing but clams, potatoes, onions and water in their clam chowder because they like chowder that tastes like fresh clams. Salt pork goes into some North Carolina pots for seasoning and cornmeal dumplings, floated on top, provided the extra bulk men and women needed for the hard work of fishing, farming and tending homesteads. Coastal North Carolina families, like mine, still love that basic chowder.

And while North Carolina might not come to mind when you think of clams, the state has a growing clam farming industry in the sounds and estuaries around the Outer Banks, and offers a steady supply to the entire East Coast. It’s more than possible that the last cherrystones or littlenecks you supped on came from our waters. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine my wife ordering her pound of “peel and eat” shrimp at Jordan’s Restaurant without a first course of Carolina clam chowder. It never goes out of style, and it never comes in a can. Now, I must caution you. The Carolina Clam Chowder is an acquired taste. The waitresses at Jordan’s always gave a disclaimer when customers ordered their chowder: This is not the creamy, thick version you might be expecting. This is the thin, water-based broth.

That being said, the distinctive quality of the Carolina clam chowder is that it’s made with a broth that is essentially just fresh clam juice, seasoned sometimes with a little salt pork or fatback. Unlike the New England or Manhattan styles, Carolina cooks don’t put milk, cream, or tomato juice in the broth. I enjoy those other clam chowders, too, but I am wholly partial to our Carolina version. This kind of clam chowder can be found most commonly in homes between Hatteras Island and Salter Path on Bogue Banks, an area also known as Down East. Its origins are lost in the sands of time, but more than likely, this clam chowder originated with the Algonquin Indians, who once dug clams and grew corn by these shores. Because of the way it captures the essences of Bogue Banks where I now live, it somehow does seems like an ancient recipe to me. Indeed, it has been a part of the Outer Banks diet for over 200 years. There are tales of family recipes being handed down from generation to generation dating back to the early 19th century.

Over the generations, coastal Carolina people could always look to this kind of clam chowder to get through tough winters when cold northeast winds are howling and the ocean pounds the beaches. Made with only fresh, wild clams and their juice, potatoes, onions, and a little black pepper, and usually served with corn dumplings, this most traditional of clam chowders is simple, almost austere fare, yet unbelievably good. The reason is simple. Everyone had the last harvest’s onions and potatoes in dry storage and most had pork salt meat available. The cornmeal for the optional dumplings was usually abundant as well. In the old days, coastal families often obtained the corn by trading salt fish or oysters with farmers who lived upriver. And, given the location, anybody could get out and get the clams! They are always on the shore, available to all at low tide. Whether it’s a little neck, cherrystone, top neck or quahog, they’re all the quahog species of clam. It’s mainly a question of size and cost. The larger-sized clams will cost less than the smaller-sized clams which are thought to be more tender. Whichever way you go, they must be fresh and in the shell.

Here is a recipe. The ingredients include 4 cups of shucked clams and juice (about 24 chowder clams or 100 little necks), 3 cups diced potatoes, 2 cups diced onions, 4 cups water, 6 pieces salt back or fat back, bacon, fried and grease rendered.

To start, chop clams, drain juice and save it. In a large pot, add grease and chopped onion and let cook for a few minutes. Add the clams and their juice. Simmer, covered. Stir occasionally so clams don’t stick to the pot. After about 10 minutes, add 4 cups of water. Cook on a low boil for 30 minutes, adding more water as necessary. Add the cubed potatoes and black pepper to taste. I like lots of black pepper. Cook for another 30 minutes. If you are going to add the cornmeal dumplings, do so about 10 minutes before the chowder is ready. These dumplings may be traditional but I only had them one time at a restaurant, Frost’s, in Salter Path several decades ago. I wasn't a big fan. Another acquired taste, I suspect. Without or without dumplings this chowder could be a nice addition to your Thanksgiving Day feast.

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