All seafood should be precooked before adding it to the chowder at the end. The exception to this rule are the shrimp and scallops. You can add these in at the end immediately after you bring the chowder to a boil and then decrease the heat. Let the raw seafood cook for 5 minutes. The shrimp and scallops cook very quickly, make sure you don’t over cook them, the may have a chewy texture if you do. See the illustration below.

Seafood cooks very fast and you will want to avoid overcooking. Overcooking will result in a sub par experience. The list below explains what to expect when seafood is properly cooked.

• Fish with fins - 145 degrees or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
• Shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops - Cook until flesh is pearly or white, and opaque
• Clams, oysters, mussels - Cook until shells open during cooking (**Throw out any that do not open after cooking)

Most grocery stores in the country carry seafood. Not every area has all possible items and can be impacted due to the time of year. If you are not able to find what you need for your chowder, there are many online alternatives. We have linked some sefood partners on the products page for your convenience.