I've wanted to make my own clam chowder for a long time, since I love it so much, and the taste really does vary, depending on where you get the soup. A while ago, I had tried to make it using the crock pot. However, the recipe we used called for a specific amount of clams, and we weren't sure if that amount was the "dry weight", or with juice. We ended up using double the amount of clams because we like clams, and it was supposedly the correct amount. The soup turned out very clammy, and tasted terrible.
This soup was OK, but was rather bland, even after I added the salt and pepper (to taste) to it. I bought a big can of clams from Costco (about 51 ounces) and weighed the clams/juice to get the amount specified in there recipe. It could be that I did not get enough clams or juice, but I don't think that was the issue.
This recipe uses a small amount of bacon to get the "fat content" and smokey flavor without being too unhealthy. I found the recipe in Comfort Food Makeovers, where the recipes for popular dishes are updated to be healthier than the original versions. The problem may have been that I used turkey bacon instead of regular bacon. As a result, the bacon probably didn't impart as much flavor, or have as much fat as the original dish created by the recipe writers.
I also wasn't sure what they meant by "instant potato flakes". I bought instant mashed potatoes and used those instead. However, I think I might have used too much instant mashed potatoes. The potato flakes are supposed to thicken the soup, but it made it too thick. If I had to make this recipe again, I would put half or even less of the instant mashed potatoes.
My quest for a good clam chowder recipe continues, as I don't think I would make this recipe again. If I'm going to eat a soup that is rich and on the unhealthy side, it might as well taste good.
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