Comments on: For Authentic Chowder Recipes, Hold Back the Bacon

By: Lynne

Lynne — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:59:25 +0000

Thanks for all the great salt pork tips. I’m working on making some of my own from a 1/2 pig purchase. More for chowder, baked beans, and more…

By: John McG.

John McG. — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:56:04 +0000

I thought you were going to go all veggie on me with a NO BACON chowder, but you are so right about salt pork I live in the Clam Capital, Ipswich, MA where they invented the fried clam. I have learned it also makes a difference how you add the pork. Don’t dice it up and fry it first. Put a hunk of it in the chowder as it cooks, and then remove it when the chowder is done.. This is the most traditional way to cook it, and I think tastes the best. You also need real oyster crackers too!

By: Clifford A. Wright

Clifford A. Wright — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:34:50 +0000

And by the way, I always find salt pork in every market I shop in. Never a problem. Always sold next to the bacon etc.

By: Clifford A. Wright

Clifford A. Wright — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:24:54 +0000

Our Cambridge, Mass based family also has VERY STRONG opinions about clam chowder and what we consider the best was published in my book REAL STEW. One NEVER uses bacon in clam chowder (ours is Cape Cod clam chowder) and ALWAYS salt pork. Bacon is delicious but it overpowers clam chowder. Clam chowder in the West? Lost in translation? It’s worse than that…the so-called clam chowder I’ve had in California is nothing but white mud.