🦐Lobsters, Mussels and Clams,Oh My!🧜🏼♂️
This isn’t just a meal, it’s a dining adventure. One best prepped, cooked and eaten with good friends and family. This was our first time making our own steamed Clam Bake! It was a seafood pot extravaganza and it was INCREDIBLE! And if everyone brings a favorite crustacean 🦐 to the party, before you know it, your pot run-eth over. That’s exactly how we made this giant, bubbling vessel of all things wonderful, come together. If you’re a fan of delicious 🏖 shellfish, you’ll have to give this a try. It’s a party in a pot.
I know this is pretty traditional, standard east coast fare, but it can get a little expensive in Southern California. Especially if you’re going to add lobster 🦐. But, This dinner is also an event, one that everyone can help put together. It’s also one that’s especially fun 🎉 to eat. When all the flavors combine and steam together, the broth is so good 😋 you’re going to want to drink it up with a straw! Here’s how we made it!
The Ultimate One Pot Meal – Clam Bake!
Rinse and scrub all your clams and mussels. Make sure to remove any “hairy beards”. Also, get rid of any that have already opened or the shells are broken. They’re no good to you now! There’s always a few of those little buggers and I practice safe over sorry, all the time. Chop your sausages on the bias, into thirds. Shuck and clean the corn. Peel, wash and chop the onions. Give all the potatoes and scrub down.
But First, An Introduction To The Kitchen Crew
oliver_j_puggington-the-3rd. Handsome Prince of the forest. He loves Lady Pugs & Sweet Potatoes. Not so much Walter A. Harris
Walter A. Harris visits his Pugzins. Big dog in a little dogs world 🌎 🐕🐕🐕🐕
Everyone Into The Hot Tub For A Clam Bake!
Basically, the entire recipe amounts to just a lot of layering. Into a large 5 gallon stock pot, add 1 cup of sweet, unsalted butter. Once the butter starts to melt, added the roughly chopped onions and let them cook until translucent. Then add 3 tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir the mixture, then add 2 garlic bulbs cut in half horizontally. Next, add 6 cups of water and an entire bottle of your favorite summer white wine. I used Chardonnay, ‘cuz that’s just how I roll.
Now, add your potatoes and close the lid. Let them steam for about 5-6 minutes. Next add your sausages and let them steam for another 4-5 minutes. We were less than traditional with our sausages and used a specialty chicken sausage instead of kielbasa, because, you know, we’re in California. You should use any kind you like.
Set a “beach’en” table for a clam bake
Next, add the little neck clams and the 🌽 corn. Let these steam another 4 minutes, then add the lobster 🦐 tails and the mussels. If you are going to use whole lobsters, add them next after the potatoes, they will take a bit longer.
Steam another 5 minutes, checking to see if the clams and mussels have opened and the lobster is cooked through. This steamy dinner will have you looking a couple years younger when you’re done – it’s an added steam-facial bonus.
This is one big pot! I got it when I competed in a local chili competition. It’s amazing how often I actually use it. You can get one at a chef supply or target for a pretty small price (or just a few clams 😉)
How To Serve
Carefully remove all the goodies from the pot and place on a large serving platter. Top with chopped, fresh parsley. Then, very carefully, strain the broth through a fine sieve. Serve some of the broth in small cups along with individual cups of melted butter for seafood dunking, and plenty of lemon wedges. Serve with some nice, warm and crusty bread. Enjoy! This is one of those meals meant to be savored and enjoyed slowly.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle white wine (chardonnay, Pino Grigio)
- 4-8 lobster tails
- 2 dozen little neck or similar clams
- 2 dozen black mussels
- 1 1/2 lbs kielbasa or chicken sausage cut into 3 inch pieces
- 8 ears of corn
- 5-10 small fingerling or yukon gold potatoes
- 5-10 small red potatoes
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 cup sweet, unsalted butter plus extra for melting and serving
- 4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 3-4 medium sweet onions, peeled and roughly chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 4-5 lemons cut in wedges for serving
- Optional: Crusty French Bread
Instructions
- Into a large 5 gallon stock pot, add 1 cup of sweet, unsalted butter.
- Once the butter starts to melt, added the roughly chopped onions and let them cook until translucent.
- Add 4 tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning. Stir the mixture, then add 2 garlic bulbs cut in half horizontally.
- Add 6 cups of water and an entire bottle of your favorite summer white wine.
- Add potatoes and close the lid. Let them steam for about 5-6 minutes.
- Next add your sausages and let them steam for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add the little neck clams and the corn. Let these steam another 4 minutes
- Next, add add the lobster tails and the mussels.
- Note: If you are going to use whole lobsters, add them next after the potatoes, they will take a bit longer.
- Steam another 5 minutes, checking to see if the clams and mussels have opened and the lobster is cooked through.
- Next, carefully remove all the vegetables and seafood and sausage from the pot and place on a large serving platter.
- Top with chopped, fresh parsley.
- Strain the broth through a fine sieve.
- Serve broth in small cups along with individual servings of melted butter for dunking, and plenty of lemon wedges.
- Serve with some really nice, warm and crusty bread. Enjoy!
Karen Harris at https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
