National Clam Chowder Day Is February 25th!
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From Manhattan to New England, clam chowder is known for its competing varieties as much as for its comforting briny flavor. It seems every state on the East Coast has its own take on the popular soup — and even some of the West Coast states have tweaked the recipe to make it their own. Whether you like a thick creamy base, a bold red broth, or a clear broth of clam juice, there's a chowder for every soup lover. Here's a some quick info behind the famous soup and it's many iterations.
What is clam chowder?
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of chowder is "a soup or stew of seafood (like clams or fish) usually made with milk or tomatoes, salt pork, onions, and other vegetables." While there are different types of chowder, the clam variety is undoubtedly the most well-known. The definition of the soup varies depending what part of the country you're in, but most include clams, potatoes, onions, and some form of pork. The biggest difference between them is the broth: Some use milk to produce a thick, creamy broth, others use a red broth made with tomatoes and spices, and there's also a clear broth made from clam juice. While each region may prepare chowder differently, they all share one thing in common: all feel their clam chowder is the best!
How many different varieties are there?
The two most popular varieties are the
New England-style and Manhattan-style,
distinguished by their white and red colors, respectively. However, there are plenty of other distinct varieties from all over the East Coast — and some on the West Coast, as well. New England clam chowder was undoubtedly the first. New England clam chowder recipes usually call for heavy cream, light cream, or whole milk as the base for the soup. This addition of milk or cream — producing the soup's unmistakable white color — is the biggest difference between the New England style and all the rest. This version is also often thickened with oyster crackers and doesn't include any vegetables except potatoes. Today, the soup can be found all over the country, but is still most popular in the North East. Maine and Massachusetts may be the two states most associated with the cream-based clam chowder. In fact, it is known as one of Maine's most iconic dishes and is considered a classic in Boston's historic neighborhoods.
Manhattan clam chowder is most often recognized by its red color, coming from the use of tomatoes and tomato paste. The broth is much thinner than the thick New England version and while it also includes potatoes, most Manhattan-style chowders boast a variety of vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and garlic for added flavor. The first recipe for "Manhattan Clam Chowder" was published in 1934 in a cookbook called
Soups and Sauces
by Virginia Elliott and Robert Jones. While the name "Manhattan" stuck, the soup has little to do with New York City's most popular borough.
There are of course many, many more varieties, and with National Clam Chowder Day right around the corner this is the time for culinary adventure! Try out some new recipes, there's New Jersey Chowder, Rhode Island Chowder, Minorcan Clam Chowder and many more! Let us know what you find and what your favorite is!
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Specials valid 2-20-19 - 2-6-19
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Wild East Coast Cod Fillet
$14.95 per pound
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Wild East Coast Haddock Fillet
$12.95 per pound
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Wild Halibut Fillet
$24.95 per pound
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Wild East Coast Monkfish
$10.95 per pound
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Ocean Raised Steelhead
Trout Fillet
$10.95 per pound
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Ocean Raised Icelandic
Salmon Fillet
$12.95 per pound
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Wild East Coast Plaice Fillet
$14.95 per pound
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Wild Virginia Countneck Clams
$7.99 per pound
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Frozen Wild Chopped Clams
$8.95 per pint
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Fresh Never Frozen Wild Texas Gulf Jumbo 16/20 CT Shrimp
$13.95 per pound
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Friday and Saturday Groomer Items!
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Groomer's World Famous
Gulf Coast Ceviche
$14.95 each
Friday and Saturday Only
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Groomer's Homemade
Shrimp Cocktail
$9.95 each
Friday and Saturday Only
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Homemade Cajun
Crab Bites
$7.95 per pack
Friday and Saturday Only
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Fresh House Blend Stuffed Crab
$11.95 per 2 pack
Friday and Saturday Only
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Fresh Homemade
Crab Cakes
$10.95 per 2 pack
Friday and Saturday Only
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Crawfish are now available for pre-order every week!
These will not be graded and sized yet as we are still very early in the season.
All pre-orders must be picked up on Friday and we strongly encourage you to plan your boils for Friday as well! As a fair warning the crawfish are still not fully hard shell, so shelf life is minimum at best! In other words, these guys may not make it if you hold them until Saturday or Sunday! This should change as they get heartier later in the season.
How does this product come?
Pre-orders this year will be done only by the sack. Each sack will average about 34 pounds.
What is the price?
Price will change week by week. Every Monday on our website (
www.groomerseafood.com
) the prices will be posted.
How much should I get?
Plan on ordering at least 2 to 3 pounds of crawfish per adult at your boil. Bigger eaters like myself, may need 4 to 5 pounds.
How do I purge them?
The golden rule with crawfish is that you must purge the little buggers to remove all the muck that comes with living down in the mud. To do this, right before boiling, pour the sack of crawfish in a small children's pool or ice chest, cover with one box of salt, and add enough water to just cover the crawfish. Gently stir for 3-4 minutes, drain, and then rinse the crawfish with a hose. While purging, throw away "floaters", which are dead crawfish. You don't want these going in your boil.
How to Pre-Order:
Pre-orders must be done either on Monday or on Tuesday.
and follow the prompts. Every pre-order must be paid for on the site to be locked in for a reserved bag. Every week we will order a little extra, but if you don't make this deadline we cannot guarantee that we will be able to fill your order.
Live Product Risk:
Keep in mind that this is a live product that has had a very rough year, and if this product is not taken care of it is very easy to lose. Groomer's is not responsible for any loss of product once it leaves our doors, so be sure to inspect your bags. We will pack your crawfish with ice for travel in either a cooler you provide or in our own boxes. Should you choose to store your mudbugs, keep them in a cool, moist environment. The best place is in a cooler with ice on the bottom, newspaper/paper towels to separate and damp newspaper or paper towels on top. Be sure to keep the lid cracked so they can breathe!
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Boston Chowda
Boston Chowda’s hearty and delicious classic soups are the perfect go for National Clam Chowder Day ! Already cooked by a highly-acclaimed American company, these soups just need to be heated and served.
No need to tell anyone you didn’t cook it yourself!
Charleston She Crab Soup
Rockport Lobster Bisque
Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo
New England Clam Chowda
$5.99 each
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Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor Foods sits on a picturesque wharf on a beautiful sheltered cove in Downeast Maine. The cries of gulls echo across the water; the tide laps against pilings as the tie lines of the fishing boats stretch and creak in the sun and fog. This is where they make their premium specialty seafood soups – fresh off the docks of Maine.
All Natural Clam Juice $3.99
All Natural Lobster Juice $3.99
Lobster Chowder $8.99
Lobster Corn Chowder $4.99
Salmon Chowder $4.99
Clam Chowder $4.99
Fish Chowder $4.79
Clam Stock $4.50
Seafood Stock $4.50
Salmon Bisque $4.99
Crab Bisque $4.99
White Clam Sauce $3.99
Red Clam Sauce $3.99
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Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 pound salt pork or bacon, minced
- 1 large onion, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups, chopped
- 2 pounds potatoes, about 3 to 4 cups, peeled and diced
- 1 quart clam juice
- 1 pound chopped clams, about 1 pint
- A 12-ounce can of evaporated milk (do not use lowfat milk)
- 3 cups whole milk
- Black pepper to taste
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Instructions:
- In a large soup pot, heat the butter over medium heat and add the diced salt pork and onions. Fry this slowly until the the onions are soft and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
- Mix in the potatoes and the clam juice and add enough water to just barely cover the potatoes. Bring this to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are just about tender -- not completely cooked -- add the chopped clams and turn off the heat. Let this cool for at least 30 minutes. You can make this chowder base up to a day ahead if you'd like.
- Once the chowder base is pretty cool (below 100 degrees), add the milk and evaporated milk and turn the heat on low. Gently bring the chowder up to eating temperature, and be very careful not to let it simmer. Add some freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve hot.
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Buttery Garlic
Steamed Clams
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Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 dozen little neck clams, rinsed and scrubbed
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Wedges from 1 lemon for garnish, if desired
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Instructions:
- In a large skillet (that has a lid), melt 2-1/2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
- Add clams and remaining butter. Cover and steam until clams have opened (about 7-8 minutes). Occasionally shake skillet while steaming.
- Discard any clams that do not open. Sprinkle evenly with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired. Serve with a french baguette or over a bed of cooked pasta.
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Ingredients:
- 4 Monkfish Fillets
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp dried oregano or 3/4 tbsp fresh oregano
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 lemon quartered
- 1 lb Steamed broccoli
- 1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil for serving
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Instructions:
- Put the monkfish fillets in a plate and sprinkle them with the salt.
- Place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to marinade.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- In a bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, the paprika, the turmeric, the oregano and the pepper.
- Rub the monkfish fillets with the mixture and place them in a baking pan.
- Bake in the middle of the oven, for 20-25 minutes.
- To serve, place the fillets, and the broccoli in a plate and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lemon.
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Ingredients:
- 2 strips bacon, finely diced (chill for 10 minutes in the freezer to make it easier to cut; about 1/4 cup)
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (1-1/2 cups)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced into half-moons and washed (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (10.75-oz.) can tomato purée
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3 cups)
- 3-1/2 cups Fish Stock or 2 (14-oz.) cans clam juice
- 2 (10-oz.) cans baby clams in juice
- 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 5 dashes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
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Instructions:
- Place a medium (6- to 8-quart), heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the bacon. When it starts to brown in spots, lower the heat to medium and continue to cook until most of the fat has been rendered and the bacon is almost crisp, about 4 minutes.Add the vegetable oil, onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and green bell peppers. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.Add the diced and puréed tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and potatoes.Add the stock or clam juice to the pot. Stir to mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the clams with their juice and season with the salt and pepper. Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire. Bring back to a simmer for several minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread or crackers.
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Rhode Island Clam Chowder
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Ingredients:
- 2 oz. thin-sliced bacon (2 to 3 slices), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
- 1-1/2 oz. unsalted butter (3 Tbs.)
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into small dice (about 2 cups)
- 4 tender inner celery stalks, sliced crosswise 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup)
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic (2 large cloves)
- 6 cups diluted clam broth, plus the reserved clam meat (1-1/2 to 2 cups), finely chopped
- 1-1/2 lb. large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 3-1/2 cups)
- 2-1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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Instructions:
- Put the bacon in a wide heavy-duty 4- to 5-quart pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn crisp and golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour off and discard the bacon fat, leaving the bacon in the pot. Add the butter and onion and cook over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onion is sweet and tender, about 10 minutes. The onion shouldn’t color. Add the celery and garlic and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Add the clam broth, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat, wait until it stops simmering (this may take a minute if you’re using a Dutch oven), and stir in the clams and chopped parsley. Season to taste with black pepper, if desired.
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Stop by to shop at:
San Antonio
[9801 McCullough]
[San Antonio, TX, 78216]
www.GroomerSeafood.com
Corpus Christi
[ 4002 East Causeway Blvd]
[Corpus Christi, TX, 78402]
www.GroomerSeafoodCorpusChristi.com
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