Dice your onions and celery and mince the garlic. Peel and cube the potatoes and drain your clams. Cook the bacon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate .

Set your instant pot to the sauté function. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into the pot, add diced bacon and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring every so often.

Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, along with the diced onions, celery and garlic. The lid should be off for this stage of the recipe. Saute for around 4 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.

Add in the clam juice, potatoes, water, salt, pepper and thyme. Close the lid securely, and set instant pot to manual. Cook on the pressure cook setting for 5 minutes and then move the valve to venting to release the pressure.

Take the lid off again and set the instant pot to saute function. Add the milk and cream and heat the soup to a low boil, stirring occasionally.

Put the flour in a small bowl and spoon about 3/4 cup of the liquid from the soup into the bowl. Use a fork to stir the liquid and flour together until it forms a thick paste. Scrape the paste into the pot and stir until fully mixed into the soup, ensuring that none is stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Simmer for another 4 to 5 minutes until soup has thickened. Garnish with bacon and black pepper. Serve with oyster crackers and enjoy!