California Clam Chowder Recipe

Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat turning occasionally until evenly browned about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels and crumble reserving the drippings in the skillet.

Cook and stir potatoes celery and onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until cooked through and tender 10 to 15 minutes. Drain grease from skillet and stir seafood seasoning garlic salt onion powder thyme and white pepper into vegetable mixture until evenly coated.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cornstarch into melted butter until smooth 1 to 2 minutes. Stir half-and-half and milk into butter mixture until thickened and smooth about 5 minutes.

Drain juice from canned clams and stir juice into milk-butter mixture; add vegetable mixture and stir. Cook and stir soup until heated through but not boiling about 5 minutes. Stir clams into soup and simmer until heated through about 5 minutes. Sprinkle bacon and drizzle red wine vinegar over soup before serving.