In large kettle, cook salt pork until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Add onions to drippings; cook until tender. Return salt pork to pan, add potatoes, clam liquid, salt and Tabasco sauce. Simmer until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add clams, half-and-half, milk and butter. Heat but do not boil.

and place in steamer or large covered kettle with 1 1/2 cups water to cover bottom. Cook gently over medium heat about 10 minutes or until shells open. Stir clams once or twice while steaming.

Remove clams from kettle and set aside to cool before removing meat. Continue cooking broth until it is reduced in volume to about 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.

Remove clams from shells and cut into 1/8-inch pieces and add to chowder as directed above.