New England Style Fried Clams

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Hi, my name is Hank and I am addicted to fried clams… Face planting into a basket of fried clams is one of my earliest food memories. Crunchy batter, salty clams, that shellfishy meatiness that only a clam really has — oysters and mussels are too dainty — and just a little whiff of an “ick” factor. After all, you eat the whole clam: foot, belly and all. And who knows what clams eat, anyway?

Fried clams in appetizer bowls with forks and lemon.
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I have this gauzy memory of being on the dock in Galilee, Rhode Island. It’s somewhere around 1975, and I am with my family. My sisters Laura and Lizz are minding me. They’ll correct me, but I think the ferry to Block Island was late that day, and we decided to eat something at one of the clam shacks that were right there.

This was probably that tipping point moment into my addiction, because I ate a lot of clams that day. A lot. So many I remember my sisters prodding my distended belly, half-joking that I might explode. Almost, but I didn’t.

Once on the Block, I ate more fried clams, as well as Block Island clam cakes, another of my favorites. I gorged myself on clams at almost every meal that year and every vacation since then all through my childhood. Funny, we rarely ate clams when we were back home in New Jersey, except for my mom’s “clam things,” which are stuffed clams.

Only when we were on vacation, or whenever we were in Massachusetts. The Bay State, I soon learned, was fried clams mecca. You see, mum’s from Ipswich — and Ipswich is in Essex, Massachusetts, the home not only of Woodman’s, but of several other legendary clam shacks (such as the Clam Box) that all vie for the title of Greatest Fried Clams on Earth. All have great clams.

Fried clams are an art. The fat must be very hot, or the clams will overcook before the batter is golden and crispy. To my mind, you must have the whole clam in there, too, belly and all. Yes, they serve them without the bellies, but that to me seems like eating a lobster pre-shelled.

No fun and certainly not part of the real experience. You want a little seasoning in the breading, but not much or it will overwhelm the clams. Lemon wedges are a must, and many reach for either tartar sauce — “tah-tah sahss,” as mum pronounces it — or ketchup. (My mom’s tartar sauce recipe is here.)

I like just lemon, then maybe a dash of hot sauce after I’ve eaten 20 or 30 clams.

A tray full of Western littleneck clams.
Photo by Hank Shaw

Virtually all fried clams in America are either Mya arenaria, the steamer clam, or Mercenaria mercenaria, the quahog, cherrystone or littleneck clam; the names are size grades, not different species. Alas, I live in California, where my beloved clams do not.

What to do? Well… we do have littlenecks here, only they are Leukoma staminea. Not the same, yes, but damn good. Manila clams are another excellent clam to fry like this.

I found myself near my Secret Clam Spot a few months back just at the right time.

Why not, I thought? So I went there, got my limit of 50 clams in short order, and headed back inland. What to do with them? The thought of New England fried clams kept popping up as I drove. But it was still cold out. Not the right weather. Not at all. Screw it. I made them anyway.

I was glad I did, These are about as close to real New England fried clams as you can get 3,000 miles away. And I should know. I’ve eaten a lot of them in the past 48 years…

Close up of fried clams in small bowls with lemon slices.
4.78 from 27 votes

Fried Clams, New England Style

This is a pretty basic recipe. The only part even remotely tricky is finding the "corn flour," which is not the same thing as corn starch! Corn flour is just finely ground corn meal. The easiest way to find some is in the "ethnic" aisle where you find Louisiana foods. It's called "fish fry," and if you look at the ingredients it's just corn flour. If you absolutely can't find any, just use more regular flour. It'll be fine.
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Hank Shaw
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound shucked clams cherrystones, littlenecks, Western littlenecks or Manila clams
  • 1 cup corn flour, as in "fish fry" mix
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 cup buttermilk or evaporated milk
  • oil for frying

Instructions 

  • Pick through the clams to make sure there are no bits of shell or obvious grit. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Submerge the clams in buttermilk.
  • Preheat the oven to 200ºF and put a rack set over a baking sheet inside the oven. Heat enough oil to float the clams, about a quart or so. What oil? Anything you feel like, but I prefer peanut oil. You want the oil hot, about 360ºF.
  • When the oil is almost ready, coat a few clams in the breading. Don't do more than your fryer can handle in one batch, as you want the clams to go right from breading into the fryer. If you want super-extra crispy clams, dip the breaded clams back in the buttermilk and again in the breading; I think this is too much, but some people like them that way.
  • Fry the clams until they are golden brown, about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Move them to the rack in the oven and repeat with the remaining clams -- make sure the oil gets back up to temperature between batches. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, malt vinegar, remoulade, ketchup or hot sauce.

Notes

Fried clams almost have to be eaten with lemon wedges, potato salad, other fried things, maybe a lobster roll, and either beer or, if you feel all fancy, some white wine, maybe even Champagne.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 254IU | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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103 Comments

  1. You would never find anything but the soft shell steamer clams used for fried clams in most of New England.

    Clam strips are the huge sea clams cut up, they are not just steamers without the bellies.

    1. Clambo: Not true. I have seen quahogs used as fried clams all over New England, although yes, steamers are more common. And clam strips are steamers with no bellies in some places, sea clams in others. There is no universal truth here, as different places do different things.

  2. Since childhood, great fried clams have been my absolute favorite food.

    I was given to understand that Ipswitch clams–a type of “soft-shell clam;” steamers are soft-shell– was the best clam to use for frying. Here and elsewhere on youtube, I find that people recommend cherrystones/little necks (the same species as far as I know), and Manila clams should be used. But these are all “hard-shell” clams.

    What’s up?

    In restaurants. I think that the best fried clams are the Ipswitch. But not only are these extremely expensive clams these days (they are sold at day-to-day variable market value, the way we used to buy lobsters in restaurants).

    So, can anyone explain? What kind(s) of clams do I really need for frying.

    Thanks,
    – Ed Kilbourne, MD
    Atlanta, GA 30338

    1. Ed: Either is fine. I’ve used both for many many years, and while steamers are better, they’re not dramatically so.

  3. To Adrienne M. Gariepy I have lived in FL for 25 years in Broward County. You can get fresh live clams here at certain times of the year. You just have to call some of the Fish markets and ask if they are in. I have gotten Ipswich clams quite frequently and made clambakes. It’s funny to see the reaction from people that have never had any of this stuff.Almost everyone I’ve served it tohas liked it. You have to teach them how to eat it. Good Luck.

  4. Hank, I will be moving to Florida soon and figure I will try your buttermilk batter recipe. It must produce tender clams. I may try googling Ipswich clams at a later time to have them shipped to me via FEDEX.

  5. where are the soft shell clams for the perfect fried clam? not cherry stones etc. ipswich yes, not cherry stones or manila.

  6. Hank, I thank you for this blog and recipe! Your story is funny and I too and a fried clam lover and from Maine. I will be trying this tonight!!

    Gin

    1. All great stuff, but I believe u said Ipswich is in Essex, they are two separate towns, if I misundstood I apologize, I’m from very close to ipswich

  7. Hank, thank you! I live in New England and go out Quohogging at least a dozen times a year and have been for almost 17 years. This was the first time that i fried quohogs and they were sooooooo goooood! Your batter recipe is just right. I rarely eat fried food so 12 of these filled me up. My wife and son, who both love soft shell fried clams, also thought these were great! My son and i made these together and we thought they might end up being to chewy or this or that, but they were fabulous. Thanks Hank!

  8. The corn flour is great for frying any seafood. Dip fish in egg and corn flour. Fry until golden. Makes perfect onion rings every time!

  9. I live in California, and cannot find fried clams/clam strips anywhere. I found some at Red Robin, but they no longer serve them. So grateful for this recipe!!

  10. Clam Box Fried Clams
    Source: Clam Box, Ipswich, Massachusetts

    Recipe Ingredients
    1/2 cup evaporated milk
    3/4 cup milk
    1 egg
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Dash salt and pepper
    4 dozen freshly shucked clams
    1/2 cup cake flour
    1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
    Oil for frying

    Method
    Combine evaporated and whole milks, egg, vanilla extract, salt and pepper. Soak clams in liquid, then dredge in combination of cake flour and cornmeal, fluffing them in the flour mix for light but thorough coverage. Shake off excess flour.

    Fry at 365 to 375 degrees F until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Do not crowd clams in oil. Drain on paper towels, salt to taste, and serve immediately with French fries, onion rings and coleslaw.

  11. Sounds gross but vanilla is Clam Shacks recipe for best fried clams, make sure you use soft shell or “steamer” clams, any other is just not the same.

    1/2 cup evaporated milk
    3/4 cup milk
    1 egg
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Dash salt and pepper
    4 dozen freshly shucked clams
    1/2 cup cake flour
    1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
    Oil for frying

  12. I’m an addict too! Thankfully Legal Sea Foods has opened some restaurants here in NJ (land of awful fried seafood) so I can satisfy the cravings, but cooking is far more convenient!
    This is a great recipe, but to my taste it was very under-seasoned. You only have 1 teaspoon of salt for 2 cups of flours. I upped it to a tablespoon the second time, and it made all the difference. I also slipped in a tablespoon of Old Bay.
    Wonderful!

  13. Just spent a week at Cape Cod satisfying my fried clam addiction. Now back home in Brooklyn Heights with withdrawal symptoms. Determined to control the mania, I bought an electric deep fryer and checked out recipes on the internet. Soon I will lay out ingredients…corn flour, buttermilk, and Old Bay Seasoning…acquire a pint of shucked steamers…and allay the craving with two minutes in peanut oil at 365 degrees. Repetitions should hold me until my next visit to MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. Here’s to the lunacy I share with many of you.

  14. I grew up in Ipswich, MA, like Hank. I now live in Virginia beach, and terribly miss the clams from Ipswich and Essex. Recipe sounds good; will try it soon with some clams I get from a clam farm on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

  15. What I wouldn’t give for a fresh clam roll right now! Landlocked in Denver. Wonder if there are still good old Howard Johnson restaurants around.

  16. Large Belly Clams from the Clambox in Essex, Ma has the best fried clams on the planet. Take it from a foodie local.

  17. >visit Sandy’s restaurant at the foot of the Bourne Bridge

    Sandy’s is closed. It was bypassed by the highway going over the Bourne Bridge. It was a terrific seafood restaurant and definitely missed.