Puget Sound Clams & Oysters: Woodstove Chowder and Fried Oysters

Clam and oyster catch and cook at Tolmie State Park! Forage for fresh clams and oysters, then make creamy chowder and butter-fried oysters over a wood fire in our outdoor kitchen. After a muddy, determined day of clamming along the Puget Sound shoreline, we gather oysters, shuck them right on the beach, and bring our coastal harvest home for a proper Pacific Northwest seafood feast. In the outdoor kitchen, we fire up the antique cast-iron woodstove and make a simple homemade chowder with fresh clams and oysters, heavy cream, red potatoes, celery, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs. Dave fries the freshly shucked oysters in butter until they’re golden, crisp around the edges, and wonderfully tender inside. This rustic oyster and clam catch-and-cook combines shellfish harvesting, beach foraging, outdoor cooking, woodstove cooking, and comforting homemade seafood, all in one beautiful day at Tolmie State Park in Washington. Come along for the clam hunt, oyster shucking, outdoor kitchen cooking, and a creamy bowl of homemade Pacific Northwest clam chowder with buttery fried oysters on the side! Creamy Clam & Oyster Chowder Ingredients About 10 fresh oysters, shucked 1 pound fresh clams, cleaned and cooked Reserved oyster and clam liquor 1 quart heavy cream 1 stick/cube butter 3 red potatoes, diced (pre-cooked in microwave) 2–3 celery stalks, chopped ½ large onion or 1 small onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced Rosemary, parsley, and oregano, fresh or dried Salt and black pepper to taste Bread, for serving Directions Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes, celery, onion, and garlic, then cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the clams, oysters, and all reserved shellfish liquid. Pour in the heavy cream and season with rosemary, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender and the chowder is hot and creamy. Avoid a hard boil so the cream stays smooth and the shellfish remains tender. Serve hot with plenty of bread for dipping. In this video: Fresh clam harvesting at Tolmie State Park Puget Sound oyster gathering and shucking Homemade clam chowder from scratch Butter-fried oysters Cast-iron woodstove cooking Outdoor kitchen catch and cook Pacific Northwest shellfish foraging #ClamChowder #FriedOysters #CatchAndCook #OysterHarvest #ClamHarvesting #OutdoorCooking #PacificNorthwest #TolmieStatePark #SeafoodRecipe #WoodstoveCooking