Corn and Bacon Chowder

Chowders are a hearty soup, traditionally made with potatoes, but can vary with different ingredients. I’ve had corn and ham chowder plenty of times, but don’t really care for the texture of the ham in it. That being said, I decided to go with bacon instead of ham, which is how this Corn and Bacon Chowder recipe came to be.

Prepare the Ingredients

Start by using Super Shears to cut four slices of bacon into half-inch pieces.

Using a 7" Santoku, thinly slice two celery stalks.

Then, using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef, dice half a sweet onion and one Yukon Gold potato.

Prepare the Soup

Place the bacon pieces into a soup pot or a large Dutch Oven and turn the heat to medium. Cook the bacon until the pieces are crisp.

Using a Slotted Spoon, scoop out the bacon pieces and leave the bacon drippings in the pot. Cooking the other ingredients in the bacon grease will give it more flavor, although if you’re looking for a healthier version, you can remove the bacon grease from the pot. However, if you do, you’ll need to add a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil or butter to sauté the vegetables.

Next, in the same pot, sauté the diced onion and the celery slices over medium heat until the onion is translucent. This will take approximately five to seven minutes. Add the diced potato, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and the chicken broth.

If you don’t have any fresh herbs on hand, you can used dried. The key to substituting dried herbs for fresh is to use one-third the amount of dried herbs, because they are much more concentrated. In this recipe, three sprigs of fresh thyme is roughly equivalent to about one teaspoon of dried thyme.

Next, bring the chowder to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover until the potatoes are tender, approximately seven to nine minutes, and then add the corn.

If you choose to use fresh corn, continue to simmer for three minutes. When I use fresh corn at home, I shuck all of the corn off from the cob and I put the cob into the soup and let the rest of the juices and flavors boil out and then remove the cob just before serving.

Follow Cutco’s easy tutorial on How To Remove Corn From the Cob using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef if you need some help.

If you choose to use frozen corn, you will want to thaw it in a strainer before adding it to the soup and, once added, simmer for six minutes.

While the corn is simmering, in a small saucepan heat the half-and-half over medium heat until scalded. Scalding means to heat right before it turns into a boil.

In a heat-resistant bowl, using a Mix-Stir, whisk together the half-and-half and cream, and let the cream warm up for about three to four minutes. Once it’s heated, pour the mixture into the saucepan and increase the heat to a light boil, stirring constantly.

Lower the heat to a simmer and let it thicken for two minutes. Simmering allows water to evaporate, which is how the mixture thickens. Remove the bay leaf and the fresh thyme stalks.  

Blend and Serve

Use an immersion blender to puree half of the chowder, leaving some of the whole potatoes and corn kernels. You can also remove half of the chowder and blend that in a high-speed mixer and then stir the blended mixture back into the pan.

When the chowder is at the desired consistency, remove the pan from the heat and stir in half of the crumbled bacon.

Divide the chowder between two bowls and garnish with the remaining bacon. To add another little pop of color, you can also garnish with some green onions.

This Corn and Bacon Chowder is a perfect, comforting meal for any day of the week. Serve with some crusty bread and be ready to relax after.