Costco Is Your Key To Budget-Friendly Homemade Clam Chowder

The taste of tender, juicy clams amid a sea of creamy soup is something that we'll always indulge in. Clam chowder is delicious and cozy, although the cost of fresh clams and the work it takes to prep them is far from comforting. Thankfully, Costco's canned clams are the inexpensive answer to our clam chowder dreams.

There are a number of canned goods you should always stock up on at Costco, with its canned clams being a primary one. Fresh clams are a rarity, resulting in a higher price, so we'll never overlook canned clams for chowder. Not every can of clams tastes that great, but Costco's offering is an exception and its 4.8 star rating depicts that. The Sea Watch Chopped Sea Clams are harvested off the coast of Virginia and Massachusetts and are sterilized to keep the natural taste, texture, and color of the clams intact. Since Costco is allergic to offering a bad deal, two cans of the clams are going for $28.99. While it may seem a little out there for a canned good, what you get is more than worth the price. Each can is a little over 3 pounds, meaning you're paying less than $5 per pound for fresh-tasting clams. Clam prices vary, but with several places offering one pound for $12 or more, we'd take Costco's deal any day.

The clams come cooked and ready to eat, so there's not much prep work to do except for draining the cans. When you do drain out the liquid, make sure to save it — the brine can make a delicious addition to creamy New England clam chowder. As the creamy base simmers, pour in the canning liquid for a briny, straight-from-the-sea taste. About five minutes before taking the soup off the stove, slide the clams into the pot. Cooking them for too long could lead to a tough, rubbery texture, so you want to give them just enough time for the flavors to wash over the seafood without them getting overcooked.

Speaking of flavor, don't skimp on ingredients to add flavor to canned clam chowder. Just because the clams themselves came from a can doesn't mean the entire chowder needs to. Opt for hearty, smoked bacon to give the chowder some flavor and use fresh onions, celery, and potatoes. If you can, make your own homemade chicken stock for the chowder to give it a richer flavor. You can also pick up a bottle of Bar Harbor clam juice or another similar product to infuse the creamy dish with a fresh taste.