Recipes

Clam Chowder (Boston Style)

Recipe No. 545 from the U.S. Army's WWII cookbook — Soups. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Army TM10-412 · Seafood · Soup

Serves 6¼ gallons 100 servings, approximately 1 cup each.
View source — TM 10-412 Army Recipes (War Department, 1944) ↗

Recipe No. 545 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Soups. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

  • Celery, diced — 2½ pounds (2½ No. 56 dippers)
  • Onions, chopped — 2½ pounds (2½ No. 56 dippers)
  • Potatoes, cubed — 3½ pounds (2¼ No. 56 dippers)
  • Salt — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)
  • Water, boiling — 1¾ gallons (7 No. 56 dippers)
  • Clams — 8 pounds
  • Water, boiling (for clams) — as needed
  • Milk, evaporated — 24 — 14½-ounce cans
  • Salt — 1½ ounces (3 mess kit spoons)
  • Pepper — (⅓ mess kit spoon)
  • Fat, melted — 1 pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
  • Flour, sifted — 1 pound (1 No. 56 dipper)

Directions

Key ingredients

Evaporated Milk

  1. Combine celery, onions, potatoes, salt and boiling water.
  2. Cover and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.
  3. Scrub clams with brush; wash under running water to remove salt. Cover with boiling water. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer about 12 to 15 minutes or until shells open.
  4. Remove from shells; drain. Strain clam liquor through cheesecloth. Measure and reserve 3 quarts (3 No. 56 dippers) liquid. Chop clams.
  5. Combine vegetable mixture, chopped clams, the 3 quarts (3 No. 56 dippers) clam liquor, milk, salt and pepper. Heat slowly to boiling point.
  6. Mix melted fat and flour; stir until smooth. Add slowly to hot soup; mix thoroughly. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes or until soup is slightly thick, stirring constantly.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Celery, diced — 3¼ oz Onions, chopped — 3¼ oz Potatoes, cubed — 4½ oz Salt — about 1 tsp Water, boiling — 2¼ cups Clams — 10¼ oz Water, boiling (for clams) — to taste Milk, evaporated — 2 can(s) (14½ oz) Salt — about ¾ tsp Pepper — scale to taste ((⅓ mess kit spoon)) Fat, melted — 1¼ oz Flour, sifted — 1¼ oz

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 545, Soups. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.