Grandma Craner’s Long Island Clam Chowder Recipe

The Cookoff didn’t work out like we planned.  I scorched the chowder and I’m not sure I scaled the ingredients up properly. If you tried our chowder on Sunday, it’s not representative of this remarkable chowder.

I got this recipe from my grandmother, who was born on Shelter Island and lived from 1933 to 1983 in East Hampton, NY, back when it was more fishing village than playground of the rich and famous.  Like a lot of classics, it’s pretty simple.

1/4 pound lean salt pork—don’t use bacon

Plenty of clams

3 potatoes

1 large onion

3 celery stalks

2 carrots

1 one-pound can of tomatoes

Fry salt pork out slowly and chop up.

Add vegetables, using more potatoes and onions and not too much of the other vegetables.

Cook about an hour. Add the clams at the last minute, so they don’t overcook and get rubbery.