Equipment
Ingredients
Clams and Broth
- 1000 g littleneck or manila clams, scrubbed
- 120 ml dry white wine, chilled
- 120 ml chicken or seafood broth, room temperature
Crispy Aromatics
- 100 g thick-cut smoked bacon, finely diced
- 40 g shallots, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 365 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1984 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 76 mg
- Potassium
- 247 mg
- Calcium
- 121 mg
- Iron
- 5.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 60 mg
- Phosphorus
- 532 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 237 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 44 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 28.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 278 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Submerge the scrubbed clams in a large bowl of heavily salted cold water. Let them soak undisturbed for 20 minutes to purge any internal sand or grit. Lift them out carefully and rinse under cold running water.
Place the diced bacon in a cold Dutch oven or large deep skillet, then set the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered completely and the bacon is crispy, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Assess the fat in the pot; if it seems scant, add the olive oil. Add the diced shallots and minced garlic to the hot bacon fat. Sauté over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Carefully scoop out roughly half of the crispy aromatics and reserve them with the bacon.
Pour the dry white wine into the pot to deglaze, vigorously scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release any deeply browned bits. Bring the liquid to a rapid boil at 100C/212F and let it cook for 1 minute to cook off the raw alcohol aroma.
Add the purged clams and the broth to the boiling wine. Cover the pot immediately with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the clams until their shells open wide, which should take 5 to 6 minutes depending on their size.
Remove the pot from the heat. Discard any clams that stubbornly refuse to open. Transfer the opened clams and their aromatic broth to a large, warmed serving bowl. Top evenly with the reserved crispy bacon, the reserved fried aromatics, and the chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Starting bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render slowly and evenly, preventing the meat from burning before it achieves a shatteringly crisp texture.
- When purging clams, aim for a salinity similar to seawater. A good rule of thumb is 35 grams of kosher salt per liter of cold water.
- Never force open a clam that remains tightly shut after the steaming process. This usually indicates the clam was dead prior to cooking and is unsafe to consume.
- The reserved crispy topping provides a necessary textural contrast to the soft bivalves and liquid broth. Keep it dry on the side until the very last moment before serving.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Clams are tough, shriveled, and rubbery
Cause: The clams were left to boil or steam for too long after opening
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Begin checking the pot at the 4-minute mark and promptly remove clams as soon as they spring open
The broth is gritty and unpleasant to eat
Cause: The clams were not adequately purged of their internal sand before cooking
Fix: Remove clams from the broth, then carefully decant the broth into a new bowl, leaving the sandy sediment behind in the pot
Prevention: Ensure a full 20-minute soak in heavily salted water, mimicking ocean salinity, prior to cooking
Garlic and shallot mixture tastes bitter
Cause: The aromatics were fried for too long or at too high a heat in the bacon fat
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Lower the heat to medium-low if the fat is smoking, and remove the aromatics as soon as they turn golden
Cultural Context
Pairing bivalves with cured pork is a rich culinary tradition spanning multiple coastal regions, from Portuguese Clams Cataplana featuring chorizo to the iconic American Clams Casino. This recipe distills those classic surf-and-turf flavor profiles into an accessible, quick stovetop preparation that highlights the natural brininess of the seafood against the smoky richness of the meat.
