Shellfish
Raichlen’s Grill Top Clambake
This recipe for Raichlen’s Grill Top Clambake offers a fresh take on the traditional New England clambake, bringing the flavors of the beach to your backyard grill. It’s a hearty meal that combines lobster, clams, mussels, corn, sausages, and potatoes, all infused with a smoky flavor from the grill. The dish is elevated by a simple garlic butter that’s brushed on the ingredients as they cook.
Grill Top Clambake
Raichlen’s Grill Top Clambake
Recipe Notes
- Yield: Serves 4 generously
Ingredients
For the garlic butter:
- 3 sticks (3/4 pound) butter
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons finely minced dill, chives, or flat-leaf parsley
- Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
For the clambake:
- 4 live 1-pound lobsters (or substitute thawed lobster tails, if desired)
- 2 pounds clams, scrubbed
- 2 pounds mussels, debearded
- 4 ears sweet corn, husked, silk removed
- 4 linguiça, andouille, or other spicy sausages (even hot dogs work)
- 12 small potatoes, parboiled for 10 minutes in boiling water, then drained
- A 12-inch French baguette, split lengthwise, for serving
You’ll also need:
- 1 1/2 cups wood or natural charcoal for building a fire, or smoking wood chips (soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained) or wood chunks; 2 heavy-duty aluminum foil pans
Recipe Steps
1: Make the garlic butter: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining butter and cook until melted. Stir in the dill. Set aside and keep warm.
2: Split the lobsters (or lobster tails) in half lengthwise through the back or belly.
3: Set up your grill for two-zone grilling and heat to medium-high. Brush and oil your grill grate. Add the smoking wood chips or chunks to the fire to generate fragrant smoke.
4: Brush the cut sides of the lobsters with the garlic butter and grill, shell side down, for 4 to 6 minutes. Using tongs, turn the lobsters and grill, flesh side down, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the meat appears opaque. Brush once more with the garlic butter, then transfer to an aluminum foil pan. Cover with foil and keep warm on the cooler side of the grill until ready to serve.
5: Brush the corn and potatoes with garlic butter and arrange on the grill grate. Cook, turning the corn and potatoes with tongs until tender, turning as needed with tongs for 8 to 10 minutes. In the meantime, add the sausages to the grill grate and cook, turning as needed, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (Some sausages are precooked, and will only need to be heated.)
6: Arrange the clams and/or mussels on the grill grate and grill for about 2 minutes, or until the shells open. (Discard any unopened shells.)
7: Brush the cut sides of the baguette with some of the garlic butter. Grill, cut sides down, until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cut into slices.
8: Arrange the seafood, corn, potatoes, and sausages on a platter. Arrange the bread on a separate platter. Reheat the garlic butter, if necessary, and serve with the clambake.
