Big Apple Clam Chowder

Ingredients

• 4 cups clams
• chopped and juice reserved
• 14 cup salt pork (1 2-inch piece) or 14 cup bacon drippings
• 1 small onion
• diced
• 1 stalk celery
• diced
• 1 small green bell pepper
• seeded and diced
• 1 medium carrot
• diced
• 2 teaspoons garlic
• minced
• 2 cups stewed tomatoes (canned) or 2 cups diced tomatoes
• with their liquid (canned)
• 12 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 medium potatoes
• peeled and diced
• hot pepper sauce
• such as Tabasco sauce
• 1 pinch salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Drain the clams; reserving both the clams and their liquid separately (you will need about 6 cups of clam liquid reserved from the chopped clams - if there is not sufficient liquid from the clams, add enough water to the reserved amount to measure 6 cups, or use bottled clam juice).
2. Cook the salt pork or bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders.
3. Add onion and saute about 5 minutes.
4. Add celery, bell pepper, carrot and garlic and cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the stewed tomatoes, including their liquid, reserved clam juice, oregano and thyme; cook 15 minutes.
6. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
7. Add reserved clams and simmer 10 minutes, no longer (clams will toughen).
8. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste and serve.