No-Fuss New England Clam Chowder

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Serves 4 to 6

Cooking Time 4 to 5 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Slow cooker chowders usually end up either thin and watery or overly thickened and grainy. Getting the proper rich and creamy consistency for our New England chowder took some ingenuity. In the end we came up with a twofold solution. First, a combination of condensed cream of celery soup, clam juice, and water created a rich and creamy base with nicely balanced flavor. Second, we swapped the usual fresh potatoes for frozen diced potatoes, which partially broke down while cooking and helped to thicken the chowder to the proper consistency—plus they cut down on prep work. Simmering bacon in the chowder infused the broth with smoky, meaty flavor; we simply added whole slices and discarded them before serving. Stirring in canned clams at the end allowed them to just heat through without turning tough. Frozen diced potatoes come in several styles; we’ve had the best results using cubed hash browns here (they are sometimes labeled “Southern style”). See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

20	ounces frozen diced potatoes
1	(11-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1	(8-ounce) bottle clam juice
1	cup water
4	slices bacon
½	teaspoon dried thyme
4	(6.5-ounce) cans minced clams
	Salt and pepper

1. Combine potatoes, condensed soup, clam juice, water, bacon, and thyme in slow cooker. Cover and cook until flavors meld and potatoes are tender, 4 to 5 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

2. Discard bacon. Stir clams and their juice into chowder and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.