My Best New England Clam Chowder

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

1. Cover salt pork with water and bring to boil over med-hi heat. Cook 5 minutes.
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. Add butter and when melted, add the onions and saute until golden.
4. Stir in flour and cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in the pepper and thyme. Add potatoes, 1/2 & 1/2 and chicken broth.
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. Add clams, clam juice, parsley; simmer another 5 min.; stirring occasionally.
8. Add lemon juice and pepper sauce and salt to taste. Serve with oyster crackers.

salt pork, unsalted butter, onion, flour, fresh ground black pepper, thyme, potatoes, chicken broth, clams, clam juice, italian parsley, lemon juice, pepper sauce, salt

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/my-best-new-england-clam-chowder-256668 (may not work)