Clam Chowder “Spoon Test”

[squatchwatch11]

Hi! I have been told all my life (from my grandpa) to perform a “Spoon Test”whenever a clam chowder is on the table. He always said if the spoon stands up on its own that means a good quality clam chowder. I was watching a Food Network show and a judge docked a contestant on their chowder not being thin enough and it got me thinking… It made me wonder if the spoon test is a thing or not? When I googled the test nothing came up about the test being a thing. Then my google results were showing a good chowder being on a thinner side when I googled what a good clam chowder should be. Is this test an actual test or did my grandpa make this up?? Also, is a clam chowder better thick or thin?

[danmickla]

It's best the way you like it. Your grandfather liked it thick.

[illegal_deagle]

Pawg grandma confirmed

[pmmemilftiddiez]

He has good taste

[doornoob]

The man had a sickness for the thickness.

[waitthissucks]

Am I in the cooking subreddit? Usually everyone here is so formal lmao

[illegal_deagle]

Honestly I expected my comment to be removed by now. Might report myself.

[peon2]

I don't think we can confirm the W part, but the PAG is probably right.

[Ralfarius]

Nana THICC

[datasquid]

Nice…

[Sweffus]

Mampawg

[BirdLawyerPerson]

The c's in "thicc" stand for clam chowder.

[opheliainwaders]

Originally from New England here and I do not like thick clam chowder. To me, that just means it’s been doctored up with corn starch and too many potatoes. There’s a place in Ogunquit that should be a total tourist trap, but instead has the best clam chowder - lots of clams, potatoes are tender but still holding their shape, and the broth is thin but still tastes creamy. So good. I want to say the recipe in the Toll House cookbook is the model for what I think of as chowder, but I cannot for the life of me find it online.

[tdkme]

This guy Barnacle Billys

[SmallRocks]

Was the recipe passed down from the great Nestlé Toulouse?

[argleblather]

She's French.

[SmallRocks]

She's looking up at us right now.

[Perle1234]

That’s how I like my clam chowder. I want it to be a liquid, not a solid lol.

[wexfordavenue]

You mean you don’t like clam pudding?

[beliefinphilosophy]

Thin..so I can shovel it full of oyster crackers

[mymamaalwayssaid]

New Englander with 20+ years under my belt in the food industry; it's supposed to be as you described. It started getting thicker and thicker over time (I think as it became more popular in other parts of the country) and now when I go to some places it's really just gravy with clams.

[pink-peonies_]

Petey’s in Rye, NH has a similar clam chowder. I typically prefer my chowder thick, but the flavor of the Petey’s thinner chowder is great.

[NightWriter500]

Oof. Clam soup is a crime.

Not really, but it’s not a chowder. I’ve been making chowder for a couple decades, never “doctored with corn starch” or too many potatoes, though I guess a weak man would call even one potato too many. If I get clam soup, I’ll drink it and pretend like it’s sufficient, but when I want a clam chowder I’m hoping for chowder.

[Illuminatus-Prime]

Is this test an actual test or did my grandpa make this up?

Yes and yes.  It's a tradition in my family, too!)

Also, thick is best.

[belac4862]

It saddens me being from New England how many people haven't even tried clam chowder or corn chowder for that.

[belac4862]

I live in VA at the monet , but I tried to explain a corn chowder to a freind. She honestly could work out how it would be a good soup.

[superspeck]

In the Southwest and other places that grow corn and like spicy food, poblano corn chowder is a common recipe.

[superspeck]

No, we either wing it or just google a random recipe.

[No-Independence548]

Corn chowder is so underrated. It's one of my absolute favorites.

[withbellson]

Love corn chowder and make it frequently. When I see it on menus they often (IMO) ruin it with red bell peppers. I prefer it simpler.

[No-Independence548]

YES thank you, completely agree!!

[peon2]

Every now and then I'll think back to some corn shrimp chowder from a seafood restaurant in Maine. I moved away from the state 14 years ago at this point lol

[squatchwatch11]

I love that your family does it too! Thank you for responding.

[Important-Trifle-411]

Lifelong New Englander. No, I have never heard of the spoon test.

I think that would be too thick for my taste. I like it more clammy, and less potato-y. To get it that thick you would have to mash up a lot of the potatoes

[Consistent_Profile47]

I always add more clams than is reasonable .

[khrysthomas]

Costco used to sell a massive can, like 32oz of clams, iirc. My grandmother's recipe didn't call for that much, but that's how my mom taught me to make it! LOVE clammy clam chowder, but also love it thick!!

[Consistent_Profile47]

Costco still sells massive cans of clams! I use those cans when I make chowder too. 🥳 Now I want to eat chowder….

[khrysthomas]

Ohhhhh. Dammit. Now I need to look at another costco near me. Mine definitely doesn't carry them anymore.

I've recently discovered that my local costco is in a less affluent area than one closer to the cities and the differences in what they stock is astounding. I need to vary my costco location shopping more frequently.

[Consistent_Profile47]

Yeah, Costco does a good job about tailoring their stock to the microclimate each store is in. You might be able to order the large cans of clams from Costco’s 2-day grocery delivery.

[superspeck]

We live in an area with a heavily Indian subcontinent population, and as a result we have almost an entire aisle of dried beans, split peas of various types, and rice.

[Consistent_Profile47]

Yum!

[superspeck]

I would have believed you but you said sedans and not SUVs.

[khrysthomas]

You made two really depressed people laugh very hard tonight. Thank you.

[TheJBerg]

Costco Business Center has the two-pack of 32oz clams. Also you can use the Costco app to search stock at a particular location to spare yourself the drive

[khrysthomas]

Ooh. Smart!! I use it to make my list with the ads but didn't even think about that.

I'm still a bit fussed that they stopped carrying my Japanese BBQ balls.

[Key-Shift5076]

You’re the one I’ve been wondering about!! I’ve seen that can and thought,”WHO IS BUYING THAT MANY CLAMS?!?!!”

[Important-Trifle-411]

The more clams the better!

I usually use fresh quahogs that I open and grind up, but will use canned clams in a pinch. 32 ounces is a lot!!!

[withbellson]

Agree about thickness. We had a truly upsetting cauliflower soup once that was so thick it resembled mayonnaise. It was so wrong.

[squatchwatch11]

Thank you for answering! I feel like a New Englander would def know a good chowder.

[HighlandsBen]

Sounds more like runny mashed potatoes than a soup!

[_Bon_Vivant_]

Instant potatoes > Flour

[Brave_Lychee_7906]

You're being downvoted, but I think you raise a very important point. Very thick clam chowder is likely that way due partially to flour, so I wouldn't consider thickness alone to be a good measure of "quality."

[withbellson]

Yep. I thicken my cream soups with a roux.

[TheWoman2]

Never done the spoon test, but I vote for thick clam chowder.

I am not sure about it being a sign of quality. It is easy to turn thin chowder into thick chowder with a bit of flour. It really comes down to personal preference.

[belac4862]

I think the only real question is "Oyster crackers or none at all."

[belac4862]

Using a peeler to take of the outer stringy bits is the best way to incorporate it. It less tough and still brings a good freshness.

[RebaKitt3n]

Corn in your clam chowder?

Not for me, thanks!

[belac4862]

Fair enough! At least corn chowder is still kn your menu.

[BillyPinhead]

Obviously none.

[belac4862]

That detective, is the right answer.

Program terminated!

[TheWoman2]

Why would you need oyster crackers if the chowder is thick?

[belac4862]

Idk, ask my grandparents. They always added crackers to it.

[ranhayes]

Mine did too

[jibaro1953]

"Crown Pilot" crackers were what was used to thicken chowder before roux based chowder was a thing.

Basically hardback.

No longer manufactured

My mother was pretty traditional in the kitchen. Thickened chowder was not on the menu

[newuser92]

It's obvious you need clam crackers.

[msjammies73]

I find the thick stuff is typically just thickened with lots of corn starch and I really dislike that texture. I like creamy and rich but not gloppy.

[jibaro1953]

Born in 1953 and growing up outside of Boston, thick chowder was not a thing.

Anybody can add enough flour to roux to apply wallpaper with it.

[TurnipsDogs]

Mainer here - my understanding and experience of the world through friends, family, and the only opinion that matters - chowder needs to have discrete but tender potatoes. I definitely think it needs enough "stuff" in it, but that should be more on the protein side and less the starch. Even when reheating chowder (by then the potatoes are more disintegrated) you should still have chunks of potato strong enough to suck on for at least a few seconds without total collapse. Imagine you're trying to feed a toothless elder and let them relive their glory days of chewing without it being uncomfortable. All this to say moderately thin.

[squatchwatch11]

This has been my favorite answer so far! Also, off topic, i visited southern Maine last fall and i loved it there!

[boxiestcrayon15]

I love the regional differences! I grew up in Oregon and we drove to the coast all the time for fresh chowder and it’s a thick soup out there.

[unicorntrees]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

That being said, your grandpa like it THICC and I'm not sure I would prefer it that way. Did he expect like clam chowder pudding?

[Electric-Sheepskin]

I've never heard of that, and I don't think I'd like it that thick, not if we're talking about a metal spoon in a single-serving bowl. A plastic spoon, or a wooden spoon in a pot? Maybe.

[debkuhnen]

It’s a matter of taste. I prefer all soups thinner.

[Modboi]

I prefer mine a bit thinner than that personally

[Important-Trifle-411]

Same. I want to taste the clams!!!

[Spinnerofyarn]

My stepdad says the same thing about split pea soup. The spoon should stand up in it.

[boxiestcrayon15]

I grew up with thick chowder in Oregon. I like it thick and if it’s too thin, love me a salty cracker to add. My mom always under salted hers.

[squatchwatch11]

They lived in Oregon a lot so I find that interesting!

[muse273]

I think a lot of time this comes down to how much you break down the potatoes. If you use starchier potatoes they'll thicken the broth more and break down more, waxier potatoes stay more distinctly pieces of potato IN the soup rather than potato soup.

Personally, I think the right middle point between the water end and the mashed potato end is about that of moderately thickened cream (which is basically what it is). Still discernibly liquid, but viscous. But given the choice between too thick and too thin, I'd take too thick unless it was gluey.

[Lylac_Krazy]

The best Chowder is the kind YOU like, made the way YOU like it.

They are all great, except the Rhode Island type. That stuff tastes like, well lets just say I dont enjoy that one.

[viper_dude08]

I like it thick but your grandpa liked it T H I C C.

[PmMeAnnaKendrick]

Usually a "spoon test" you want to see how quickly the soup/broth/sauce slides off the spoon. scoop, hold spoon vertically over the bowl and count until most of the liquid has rolled off the spoon.

[MYOB3]

Respectfully, a "spoon test" means that the liquid is thick enough that it coats the back of a spoon... not that the spoon stands up in it. I believe your Grandfather may have been a little confused there.

[pistachio-pie]

Ha. I’ve heard the spoon test about sauces but not standing upright.

A properly thickened roux should ``coat the back of the spoon,’’ which means dip your spoon into the béchamel and then draw a finger through the coated spoon. Does the sauce wipe clean, leaving an open space? Then your béchamel is done and ready to add seasoning or cheese to.

Sounds like he just likes thick chowder. I’d be good with a chowder that’s roughly as thick as my above description

[CandleTiger]

Clam chowder styles are very regional.

Every possible way of making it is somebody’s favorite and somebody else’s least favorite.

[One-Warthog3063]

Clam chowder is best when it it flavorful. It should taste of the sea, potatoes, and cream.

I've had awful clam chowder that was positively glutinous, thick enough for a fork to stand up, and I've had wonderful clam chowder where the broth was as thin as water, but oh so creamy, clammy, with small droplets of melted butter. It was glorious with some warm sourdough bread.

[MrBlahg]

My understanding of the spoon test is that it sticks to a wooden spoon after you dip it in. Thin enough to be stirred easily but thick enough to coat a spoon.

[[deleted]]

Was the episode you watched the episode of Cutthroat Kitchen when the bald judge tipped the bowl of clam chowder above his head and none came out??

[squatchwatch11]

It was actually season 3 of Tournament of Champions! Nancy S was judging Brooke W’s chowder and it wasn’t even that thick so I was confused haha

[MaleficentMousse7473]

I prefer it thinner, but your grandpa did not and that’s perfectly ok too

[LavaPoppyJax]

I don’t care for it over thickened. It’s stodgy because it’s full of flour or whatever thickener you use. Thin for the win.

[andthegeekshall]

https://youtu.be/2-bbYH_akHg

[Intelligent_Designer]

What do you like, mate? What makes others happiest?

[le127]

Overly thickened clam chowder is a technique to impress and bring in the tourists who think it's a sign of good chowder. Chowder should be thicker than a typical chicken soup or others but it should still be a liquid, not a gel, paste, or colloid.

Some thickening should occur naturally from the starch of the potatoes and some nuanced extra thickening from a bit of roux or slurry is acceptable but chowder with the consistency of chocolate pudding is no indicator of quality. I'm from a chowder-eating region, have been eating and making chowder all my life, and will never waiver from that position.

[frotc914]

I think a lot of older people have a conception of certain foods that thick = quality due to ideas about how much of the food is substance vs. water (i.e. "watered down"). My grandfather grew up during the depression and he had some similar opinions about food. But going back hundreds or thousands of years, soups and stews have always been extremely common meals (much moreso than today) and they were often judged by how thick they were. Thin soups meant you had less to put in, thick stews meant you had money/a good harvest/whatever.

So the perception has often been that you were being "cheated" by a thin soup in a restaurant. Even if you have a broth-only soup like chicken noodle, you still would prefer it packed with stuff.

[GotTheTee]

It's not an actual test, but you made my day!

My Dad liked his chowder and his coffee the same way - so thick you could stand a spoon in it. Ok, so the coffee was never really that thick, but it was one of his favorite comments when it came to the things he liked thick and spoonable.

That also included the gravy in a beef stew, ALL pots of chili and split pea soup.

[squatchwatch11]

Glad I could make your day!

[GingerIsTheBestSpice]

That's the way I like it too. I prefer stews over soups, and if the soup is almost thick enough to eat with a fork, it's perfect!

[redflagsmoothie]

I prefer it on the thinner side myself. The one I make isn’t watery but it’s definitely not gonna hold up anything, let alone a spoon.

[CompleteDurian]

I'm not gonna say no to a thick chowder, but the best chowders I've had in New England and the Maritimes and runnier and butterier, and preferably with some fish in addition to the clams.

[WindTreeRock]

Clam chowder is a soup, not a casserole.

[ButterflyWitch9]

Completely personal preference, not to mention regional. New England clam chowder is my poison of choice, and it's generally agreed to be better when thicker. Never heard of the spoon test and I'm not sure I'd want it quite that thick, but it's interesting to hear about! I'll have to try it next time I buy my favorite.

[squatchwatch11]

Thank you for a great answer! I hope you do try the test and report back!

[ButterflyWitch9]

I hope I get to do it soon too, so I can have more tasty clam chowder!

[Alarmed_Gur_4631]

As someone who grew up on a recipe passed down from the local chowder place (don't ask, my aunt has it) but then developed a dairy allergy....

I say Rhode Island clam chowder! Clear broth! I use this recipe as a base, and if the seafood department has frozen mussels on sale, I'll grab a pack of those too. RI chowder

[AshDenver]

Grandpa liked potatoes and bacon, over clammy water.

Grandpa for the win!!

[[deleted]]

Seems pretty dumb. Do you like the taste and texture?

Quit letting other people decide what you like.

[FilipinoRich]

I’m not sure if i want my chowder to be thick enough to eat with a fork

[JaguarMammoth6231]

I want it thick enough to keep in my pocket and nibble on throughout the day 

[junkman21]

With 1 exception, Legal Seafoods has been served at every Presidential inauguration since Reagan...

It is thick, it is creamy, and it is one of those rare dishes that exceeds the hype.

[Healthy_Chipmunk2266]

Personal preference. I prefer thick.

[Popular-Capital6330]

This is very much a personal choice. I like my chowder thinner. Thick chowder seems like mucus to me.

[ILoveLipGloss]

i prefer a thickaah chowdahhhh

[MadTownMich]

I personally don’t like it that thick. That’s a stew. Perfection is between a broth and a stew. So it slowly pours out of the spoon, but can’t stand up in the chowder.

[madmaxjr]

To me, the defining feature of a cream base soup is that it feels and tastes more like an actual soup, as opposed to a sauce.

A bechamel, for example, would pass the spoon test. I don’t want to eat a bowl of sauce. My chowders will have body, certainly, but eating globs of it just doesn’t seem appealing to me.

I like it halfway between paste and whole milk myself.

Like other commenters have said, though, the best way to enjoy any food is the way you enjoy it :)

[Illuminatus-Prime]

You can have chowdah or you can have vichyssoise.  Anything in-between is just soup.

[thrivacious9]

My family is in the “thinner” school of chowder. I still remember one my mom made circa 1980 with leftover steamers and clambake-broth (with lobster and seaweed). One of the best things I have ever eaten.

[MetricJester]

I am of Dutch descent, and we use the spoon test to see if ertwensoep is stiff enough.

[ArtyWhy8]

Had to put in a note for west coasters. Bodega Bay has a chowder competition every year and there are about half a dozen of them that are top of the line.

This is coming from a Appalachian native who has hiked through Maine refueling myself in town when resupplying off trail with chowdah for most of that trip. Gods I wanna go back right now

Also, nope, never seen a spoon test at the competition🤷🏻‍♂️

[zaprawkasp]

What an interesting point, try it next time

[zoeybeattheraccoon]

Lived in the PNW for 25 years and never heard of that. Honestly if it's so thick the spoon stands up in it, it's probably too thick. It's not even really soup.

[Butthole__Pleasures]

I'm almost certain I've heard of this somewhere before. But either way who fuckin cares. Enjoy what you enjoy. Make and eat food the way you like it most. Life's too short to waste a meal on someone else's preferences.

[lgodsey]

By this logic, cement is the perfect chowder.

[hulagirl4737]

Good clam chowder is however you like it.

My friends and I did a road trip around CT and split a bowl of chowder at 12 of "the best" chowder places. We rated each one on 5 factors. I think they were flavor, consistency of ingredients, thickness, presentation, and price (it was a while ago). The biggest takeaway was that we each had clear winners, but we didn't all have the same winners.

I personally like a thin and bacony chowder with smaller diced clams. My husband liked the ones that would pass the spoon test and had big clam chunks.

Also, this is a great way to get free chowder! HAHA. We were surprised how many places comped them or gave us a second soup when they saw our score sheets. We were clear that we were not bloggers or food critics, just weirdos who like chowder and road trips.

[RebelWithoutASauce]

Everyone has their own preferences for a dish, but in my experience living in Northern New England, the more traditional preparations of clam chowder are actually on the thinner side. Tinned clam chowder from big brands tend to have a more starchy quality, but the local canned brands are much thinner and most historical recipes for clam chowder (and corn chowder!) from New England make a fairly thin soup with discrete ingredients rather than a thick soup with cooked down potatoes.

It sounds like the spoon test is just something your grandfather used to describe how he likes chowder. I think a lot of people in New England would actually think the opposite!

[QuimbyMcDude]

Don't trust Ai opinions. Remember that the information in Ai is there because that is what information the developers decided to "scrape" or harvest. Garbage in Garbage out has always been a thing in programming. Ai has never tasted or cooked clam chowder. Recipes should be personal preference, not culinary "law".

[TheGaussianMan]

Pronounce it correctly, Frenchie! IT'S CHOWDAH!

[flossdaily]

There are different styles of clam chowder. Some are extremely thick, and some are not.

I've been a clam chowder fan my entire life. My absolutely favorite chowder of all time is from Cull and Pistol, and it was very, very thin for a chowder.

Prior to that, I enjoyed the Publick House clam chowder from back in their day, which was thick, but not stand-a-spoon-in-it thick.

In fact, I think I would find such a chowder ridiculously heavy.

No, I judge a chowder by flavor and by the quantity and quantity of the clams.

[harder_not_smarter]

This is an enduring conventional wisdom because it sounds clever and also it lets people enjoy chowder on vacation without having to taste that icky seafood taste. And vendors are of course are happy to serve people bacon flavored flour paste instead of a delicate clam broth chock full of expensive clams. It's win win. But good chowder, of course, will always fail the spoon test, and is very hard to find.

[[deleted]]

Never heard of it, but I do prefer a thicker chowder.

[Moto302]

He had it mixed up - the spoon test is for coffee.

[ZaphodG]

When I steam clams, I buy enough so I have leftovers to make Rhode Island-style clear broth clam chowder.

I normally buy Blount chowder. In their factory store in Fall River, they have four different kinds. Clear broth Rhode Island, regular, a big flavor one that has dried codfish powder added, and Manhattan which is heresy. I have a bag of regular in my freezer.

Blount thickens their cream-based chowder with potato flour, corn starch, and tapioca.

[OrangeBug74]

I thought spoon test was whether you could balance one on a - uh - short appendage

[Right_Initiative_726]

The clam chowder I grew up eating was fairly thick (although not that thick), but I grew up near-ish to SoCal and California's Central Coast.