Stuffed Quahog
intro
Briny, hearty baked stuffed quahogs loaded with smoky chouriço, crisp breadcrumbs, and aromatic veggies, a beloved coastal favorite for casual warm-weather gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Steam the quahogs
Scrub 8 large quahogs under cold running water to remove all surface mud and barnacles. Place them in a large stockpot with 60ml (1/4 cup) dry white wine, cover, and set over medium-high heat. Steam for 8-10 minutes, until all clams have fully opened; discard any clams that remain closed after 10 minutes, as they are unsafe to eat. Remove opened clams from the pot, reserve 60ml (1/4 cup) of the steaming clam broth, and let clams cool for 10 minutes until safe to handle.
Shuck and chop clams
Once cooled, twist the quahog shells fully open, separate the clam meat from the shell halves, and set aside 16 of the deepest, sturdiest half-shells to use for stuffing. Finely chop the clam meat into 6mm (1/4 inch) pieces, then set aside. Strain the reserved 60ml clam broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any sand or grit, and set aside.
Cook filling base
Melt 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter in a 25cm (10 inch) skillet over medium heat (160C/325F pan surface temperature). Add 120g finely diced onion, 100g finely diced celery, and crumbled 115g chouriço sausage, then sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and sausage is lightly browned. Add 9g minced garlic, 1 tsp (2g) smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp (1g) ground black pepper, then cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
Mix the stuffing
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the chopped clam meat, strained reserved clam broth, 90g (1.5 cups) panko breadcrumbs, and 2 tbsp (8g) chopped fresh parsley until all ingredients are evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when squeezed gently without oozing excess liquid; add 1 extra tbsp (6g) panko if too wet, or 1 tsp extra clam broth if too dry to reach the right consistency.
Stuff the clam shells
Preheat your oven to 200C (400F). Line a 33cm x 45cm (13x18 inch) rimmed baking sheet with crumpled aluminum foil to create a stable, level base, then nestle the reserved 16 quahog half-shells into the foil so they sit flat without tipping. Mound 2 heaped tablespoons of the stuffing mixture into each shell, pressing gently to pack it firmly so it forms a slight rounded dome over the shell edge.
Bake and serve
Place the baking sheet on the middle oven rack, bake for 18-20 minutes at 200C (400F), until the stuffing tops are crispy and deep golden brown, and the filling reaches an internal temperature of 74C (165F). Remove from the oven, let the stuffed quahogs rest for 3 minutes, then arrange on a serving platter with lemon wedges cut from 1 whole lemon for squeezing over top.
Tips
2.Avoid overcooking the clams or overbaking the stuffed shells, as prolonged high heat will turn the tender clam meat tough and rubbery, ruining the dish’s texture.
3.If chouriço is unavailable, substitute with smoked linguica or spicy andouille sausage to replicate the signature smoky, savory flavor of the classic recipe.
OMG these were SO good at our family clambake last weekend! I grew up eating quahogs on Cape Cod every summer and this recipe tastes exactly like my grandma’s, no cap. Only tweak I made was adding a tiny extra pinch of paprika for a little kick. 10/10, will be making these for every potluck from now on!
Made these for my Sunday dinner crew and everyone was begging for the recipe before they even left. I was a little nervous shucking the quahogs at first since I usually stick to oysters, but the instructions were super clear. Pro tip: toss a little extra bacon bits on top before baking, chef’s kiss.
Wait, is there a good substitute for the chourico? My household doesn’t eat pork but I’ve been dying to make stuffed quahogs ever since I tried them on a trip to Rhode Island last year!
I was worried these would be too complicated to make with my kids running around on a school night, but they came together way easier than I expected! My two boys even helped mix the stuffing, and they both cleaned their plates which never happens. Only thing is I wish I’d bought extra quahogs because we ran out in 10 minutes flat.
Solid recipe, came out perfectly briny and savory just like the stuff I get at coastal seafood shacks. I used quahogs I foraged myself on a recent trip to the coast and they worked like a charm. Wish the recipe had a note about how to tell if quahogs are bad before cooking, but otherwise no notes!
Brought these to my neighborhood block party last weekend and they were the first dish gone! People kept coming up to me asking if I’d ordered them from a fancy seafood restaurant lmao. 10/10, game changer recipe.
First time ever making shellfish at home and I was so intimidated by the medium difficulty rating, but the step-by-step instructions made it totally foolproof! I did burn the top a little bit because my oven runs hot, but even the slightly crispy bits were delicious.
Has anyone tried making these with gluten-free breadcrumbs? I have celiac and I’m dying to make these for my partner’s birthday dinner next week, but I don’t want the texture to be off!
These are straight up comfort food at its finest. I added a little extra hot sauce to my serving and it paired so well with the briny quahog and savory chourico. Already bought more quahogs to make a double batch this weekend for game day.
I’ve been making my mom’s stuffed quahog recipe for 40 years and decided to give this version a try when my grandkids visited last week. I have to say, the addition of the bell pepper in the stuffing is such a nice touch! Added a little brightness I never knew was missing. Will be incorporating that into my go-to recipe from now on.
Made a double batch on Sunday and ate these for lunch all week! They reheat so well in the air fryer—5 minutes at 375 and they’re just as crispy as when they first came out of the oven. Total meal prep game changer, I’ll be adding these to my monthly rotation for sure.
Wait, can I use littleneck clams instead of quahogs if I can’t find quahogs at my local grocery store? I’ve checked three stores and no one has quahogs in stock right now!