The clams, bacon, and other ingredients are cooked in various ways depending on the recipe, and then added with breading to half the clam shell and baked or broiled (grilled from above) to a golden brown [REF].
There are many variations on the dish,[REF] but the constant factor is the bacon: "Bacon remains the major key to its success",[REF] with some chefs recommending smoked bacon for its salty flavor and others advocating an unsmoked variety.