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All the fixings for a New England clambake - lobster, clams, potatoes, corn, lemon - scattered on a white surface.
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4.80 / 15 votes

New England Clambake

This New England clambake, made with clams, lobster, Old Bay, sweet corn, and potatoes, is a summer classic that's easy to make at home. No sand or surf required.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: New England
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 826

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cold water
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 red onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 pounds new potatoes, halved
  • Two (1 1/2-to 2-pound) lobsters
  • 2 dozen steamer clams or Manila clams
  • 4 ears fresh corn, cut into quarters
  • Small bunch tarragon or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
  • Crusty bread
  • 6 lemons, halved or cut into wedges

Instructions

  • In a ginormous pot, bring the water, wine, Old Bay, salt, and garlic to a boil.
  • Toss the onion and potatoes in the pot, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
  • Nestle the lobsters on the onion and potatoes, cover the pot again, and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Add the clams and corn and continue to cook, still covered, until the clams have opened, 8 to 10 minutes.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If you happen to be doing your clambake in a pot that's set on a rack over an open gril, go ahead and instead toss the corn and the cut lemon directly on the rack to impart a slight smokiness to the final dish.

  • Carefully remove the pot from the heat and drain the cooking liquid. Remove and discard any clams that haven't opened.
  • Tip the contents of the pot onto a table lined with newspaper or butcher paper or transfer to a large platter. (If your guests can't be trusted to be amicable about splitting the lobsters, you may wish to cut each one in half prior to serving.)
  • Sprinkle everything with the herbs and set out small bowls of melted butter along with some crusty bread and lemon wedges and dishes or small buckets so folks have a place to toss the spent shells. Don't forget gobs of napkins.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 826kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 632mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 14g