New England Clam Fritters

A good clam fritter is mostly clam, held together by just enough batter to fry. Most versions you’ll find at roadside shacks have it backwards: a heavy doughy puck with a few clam flecks for legitimacy. Our recipe puts the clams at the forefront, not buried under batter, and we promise you won’t be disappointed.

The ratio matters. So does the heat of your oil. Everything else is forgiving.

Ingredients

• 1 pint clams
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Frying oil (canola)

Directions

1. Clean, rinse, and drain the clams. Chop them into a small dice.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until light, then whisk in the milk.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the liquid, whisking gently. Don’t overmix; if you do, the fritters come out dense.
5. Once the flour is evenly combined, fold in the chopped clams. Season heavily with salt and pepper.
6. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a couple of inches of canola oil over medium to medium-low heat. To test, drop a small bit of batter in: it should sizzle immediately and rise to the top. If it browns fast, the oil is too hot — turn the heat down.
7. Using a spoon or a small disher, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the oil. Some will flip themselves; the rest you’ll flip by hand once the bottoms turn golden brown.
8. Fry about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes total, watching the color so they don’t get too dark before the batter cooks through.
9. Remove from the oil and drain on brown paper. Serve hot.

Notes

Eat them the minute they come out of the oil. Fritters don’t keep, and they don’t reheat. A squeeze of lemon and a little tartar sauce on the side is all they need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of clams should I use for New England clam fritters? Any fresh clam works — quahogs chopped small are traditional, but steamers or canned chopped clams in a pinch will do the job. Fresh is always better. The clam flavor is the whole point.

Why do my clam fritters come out doughy in the middle? Two culprits: oil that’s too hot (the outside browns before the center sets) or batter that’s overmixed (develops gluten, makes them dense). Keep the heat at medium to medium-low and mix only until the flour disappears.

Can I make clam fritter batter ahead of time? No. Mix it, fry it, eat it. The baking powder starts working the moment it hits liquid, and the clams will weep into the batter if it sits. This is a last-minute recipe — that’s part of the deal.

What do you serve with New England clam fritters? A squeeze of lemon and tartar sauce on the side is all they need. Cold beer doesn’t hurt.