My Best New England Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 4-6 ounces salt pork, diced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped onion (I always use a sweet onion)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
• thyme (to taste})
• 5 cups cooked diced potatoes
• 1 quart half-and-half (you can use fat free)
• 1 cup approx. low sodium chicken broth

• 3 (6 1/2 ounce) cans minced clams or chopped clams, plus
• 1 cup clam juice
• chopped Italian parsley
• fresh lemon juice, to taste
• hot pepper sauce
• salt

Directions

1. 1

   Cover salt pork with water and bring to boil over med-hi heat. Cook 5 minutes.

2. 2

   With slotted spoon, transfer pork to dutch oven and cook over med-hi heat until crisp. Remove and discard pork and all but a little bit of the drippings.

3. 3

   Add butter and when melted, add the onions and saute until golden.

4. 4

   Stir in flour and cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. 5

   Stir in the pepper and thyme. Add potatoes, 1/2 & 1/2 and chicken broth.

6. 6

   Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. (Be careful and watch that it doesn't cook above a simmer or very long!).

7. 7

   Add clams, clam juice, parsley; simmer another 5 min.; stirring occasionally.

8. 8

   Add lemon juice and pepper sauce and salt to taste. Serve with oyster crackers.