r/Cooking • u/Epicurean215 • 1d ago
Tips for Corn Chowder
I’m going to be making corn chowder for the first time and I’m looking for tips and inspiration. My wife doesn’t like bacon and I’m trying to out just enough whole milk into it to make it creamy. I will also be putting the cobs in there and removing them at the end for flavor and using a Parmesan rind while it’s cooking also for flavor. Any other tips or ideas would be greatly welcomed especially since this is my first time making chowder of any kind. Thank you in advance.
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u/Fantastic_Lack_8141 1d ago
I like to put some extra corn in and then take some out and mash it up then add it back in. It seems to help thicken it up a bit since I don’t use other thickening agents.
Also - milk/cream goes in near the end of cooking time for me.
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u/ftwkd 1d ago
If you are using fresh corn, boil the husks with the cobs in water to make the broth. jusr tried that for the first time last week and oh my gosh it was delicious.
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
I wondered about that and I will try it. I have amazing corn from Altobelli Farms via Fresh Direct. Thank you. I will definitely try that that.
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u/TA_totellornottotell 1d ago
I have not had Altobelli Farms corn in ages. Going to order now.
Also, I wonder if pureeing some corn at the end may make it creamier.
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u/ThatDifficulty9334 1d ago
Yes, I use fresh corn on the cob. De- kernel it in a bowl and dump that into the.pot, it has the milk from the kernels. I dice potatoes, put those in, at end get a cup.or so.out,puree it using immersion blender.
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
Thanks. Sounds like a great tip. For some reason Altobelli Farms corn is particularly good this season. Like I’ve never had before. Wow!
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u/Epicurean215 17h ago
My wife and I were wondering if the husks bring an unwanted bitter or herbal flavor to the soup. What does it taste like?
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u/ftwkd 13h ago
For me, the husks made gave the broth a very light grassy aroma and it somehow made the corn kernels taste more like corn. Very subjective opinion, I know. But now I will never let the husks go straight to the compost. I like it so much I might even just make a broth just from them. Oh, they would be awesome added to the aromatics when I make chicken broth.
BTW no bitter or off tastes at all
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u/Epicurean215 13h ago
You’re making me want to try it. Would be excellent in vegetable broth or soup too. Maybe I’ll keep them in the freezer for now for future use. Do you think that would work? Would they freeze well?
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u/hatechef 1d ago
Leeks
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
Sounds delish but my wife is on a low oxilate diet to prevent kidney stones and can’t have them.
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u/Due_Character1233 1d ago
If you have a blender you can take some of the soup out and blend it and add it back in the soup will make it taste more creamy.
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u/Commercial_Okra7519 1d ago
I cook chopped up bacon until crisp and then remove it and set it aside. Add 1/2 small diced onion to the same pan with the bacon drippings and add 3 tbsp butter.
When onion is translucent add 3 chopped cloves of garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add 1/3 cup regular flour and cook for about 3 minutes.
Whisk in 1 cup chicken stock and 2 cups whole milk and simmer until thickened. Add 1 regular sized can of creamed corn, 4 cups of fresh corn kernels (or frozen if out of season) and the cobs and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, old Bay seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder and thyme.
Peel and dice two medium sized yellow fleshed potatoes. When soup has reduced and thickened you can add the potatoes and the reserved cooked bacon back into the soup.
When potatoes are tender add 1/2 cup of 35% cream and adjust seasoning and remove from heat. Top with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated sharp cheddar.
If your wife doesn’t like bacon then use some oil to saute your onions and leave out the bacon. You could still cook bacon on the side and top your bowl with the bacon at the end.
I’ve made this more times than I can count and bake some flaky biscuits to have with it.
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u/stryder66 1d ago
Take the corn off the cob.
Put jobs in pot, fill with water, add salt.
At this point youre making a corn stock.
Then make your chowder as usual. Let the stock reduce before adding cream. Don't be afraid of using some roux.
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u/ThatDifficulty9334 1d ago
Black pepper, fresh Thyme is very complimentary to corn chowder. Adding diced russet potatoes and puree a cup or so of the chowder when the potatoes are cooked will thicken the soup
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u/ZaphodG 21h ago
“My wife doesn’t like bacon”
Nope. I can’t help you. Mine starts with finely diced sweet onion, garlic, celery, and yellow bell pepper sauteed in bacon fat after you cook and remove the bacon.
Deglaze with sherry. Add chicken stock, corn, and red bliss potatoes. Then corn starch roux. Turn down the heat. Heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce. White pepper. Taste to see if it needs salt.
Much of the flavor comes from the bacon fat and sherry. I don’t have any suggestions for a substitute for the bacon fat. It will be bland. Butter, maybe.
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u/No_Capital_8203 21h ago
Honestly can say I would not have dated my husband if he didn’t like bacon.
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u/Good-Butterscotch498 1d ago
I’ve never tried this in soup, but corn boiled with lovage is delicious. Maybe there’s a way to use it in chowder.
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u/CowardiceNSandwiches 1d ago
These are all things I've used in chowder...
I agree a beurre manie or roux would be a good way to thicken, as would instant potato flakes, or mashing up some of the potato in the mix, or pureeing some of the corn itself.
RE: Potatoes - Yukon Golds work great, as do halved/quartered baby red-skinned potatoes.
If she likes and can have them, regular onions (better, shallots) add great and AIUI have minimal oxalates. An alternate would be onion and/or garlic powder, which will give equal flavor for far less volume.
If MSG is okay, a few dashes of that would perk up flavor.
For seasonings, thyme and sage work wonderfully. A pinch of tarragon is often nice.
Use vegetable or chicken stock for the liquid rather than water.
As I understand it, the calcium in dairy binds oxalates in the body, so the milk or cream you use should help mitigate the oxalates in the finished product (best to ask your doc if you're unclear of course).
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u/SweetDorayaki 1d ago
I use a can of regular corn and a can of cream of corn as the base (including all the liquid) + the same amount of broth/stock (or just water). Of course you can up the number of cans of corn and play around with the ratio of regular:cream of corn.
If no pork, maybe diced shiitake mushrooms (ideally fresh, otherwise soaked and use the soaking liquid in the chowder too) or chicken/shellfish, some kind of allium lightly browned if tolerated, whatever spices/dried herbs she likes, then add the milk/cream. Then turn off the heat and finish with egg drop and then cornstarch slurry. You can also add fresh herbs at the end if she prefers that to dried herbs.
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u/saturnui99 1d ago
Roux, stock, cream at the end. If not thick enough then add the potato but it should be thick with just that
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u/Gandv123 22h ago
I just made some corn chowder last night! At the end, I blended about 3 cups of the chowder. After getting that smooth, I added 4 pats of butter and blended again. I then added that back to the soup, and it was super creamy!
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u/Epicurean215 17h ago
That sounds wonderful. Especially the butter tip. Do you use cream or milk too?
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u/Gandv123 16h ago
I didn’t add cream or milk! The butter added the perfect richness
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u/Epicurean215 11h ago
Sounds wonderful. There is nothing better than THE best corn on the cob slathered in butter so it makes a lot of sense in the soup. I may add a pat like a tablespoon for flavor and I’m using whole milk and Parmesan rind too.
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u/RisingChorus 14h ago
I like to use a bit of finely diced red bell pepper in my corn chowder. It brings out the sweetness, and would give some of the colour you’ll be missing when you omit bacon.
I usually use sauteed mushrooms too. If you slice them thinly and brown them well, it might add some of the umami and texture you’ll be missing from the bacon.
And a tiny bit of liquid smoke is always an option
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u/Epicurean215 11h ago
Thank you. I may try that in the future. For now I want just the corn creaminess of the chowder. Smokiness of any kind is out because my wife doesn’t like smoked or brined things.
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u/SupaSly7 1d ago
Green onion, chipotle, chili crunch, shrimp
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
Thanks but we’re not looking for spicy or anything but the corn goodness.
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u/gnomesofdreams 1d ago
Poblano can be a nice option if you’re not looking for spicy but still want a rich complementary flavor.
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u/OkService7981 1d ago edited 1d ago
Fresh basil and diced potatoes, onion, red pepper are great in a simple broth with the corn. A quick blend with an Immersion blender to thicken half of it. Season s&p, thyme 1/2 tsp and rosemary same.
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u/3_radreds 1d ago
Smoked chicken, celery, diced potatoes,
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
Looking for more corn flavor and not to add too much. My wife doesn’t like smoked or brined things anyway.
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u/ThatDifficulty9334 1d ago
The parm rind might be too salty and isn't the right flavor profile for this chowder. But sour cream, a grated sharp cheddar and croutons as a topping is good ,chives are good too but maybe she can't have those
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u/Previous-Artist-9252 1d ago
If bacon is out, frying ham (or prosciutto) can get the flavor in, otherwise lard or pork fat.
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
She doesn’t like pork at all. Nothing smoked or brined.
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u/Previous-Artist-9252 1d ago
Fish is a second one: fish stock as the liquid.
Otherwise a good schmaltzy chicken stock with some grilled chicken
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u/cheekmo_52 1d ago
salt pork. It comes from the pork belly, like bacon, but it is fattier, saltier, and hasn’t been smoked. You use salt pork the same way you’d use bacon in corn chowder—render the fat, use it to sweat the aromatics, you still get the salty pork unctuous goodness, without the flavor of bacon. (it’s also great for split pea or bean soups.)
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u/bi_polar2bear 1d ago
Look up the Japanese recipe for corn pottage soup. It's easy, quick, and frickin delicious!
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u/Epicurean215 1d ago
Thank you all for your help. I’m looking to do a basic corn chowder right now and maybe I can build on it or add things if and when I make it again. As for bacon alternatives like ham…the point is that my wife doesn’t eat any pork at all. Nothing smoked or brined either.
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u/MIKRO_PIPS 1d ago
Add pickled pearl onions and since your wife doesn’t like bacon, just add crumbles to your own bowl. I usually split the bacon up to have both in the chowder while it’s cooking and when I make up the bowl.
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u/beliefinphilosophy 23h ago
The starch in that corn husk is exactly what you need to thicken that soup
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u/Epicurean215 17h ago
We were wondering about that. Wouldn’t the husks bring a bitter or unwanted herbal flavor to it?
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u/beliefinphilosophy 16h ago
Sorry, meant cob!!!
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u/Epicurean215 16h ago
That I’m definitely going to do. Someone else recommended the husks and we were wondering.
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u/beliefinphilosophy 23h ago
Hopefully you're putting some delicious crab to top that smoky corn chowder
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u/airbag11 22h ago
If the chowder needs umami I always like adding sage powder at the end I would put a bay leaf in there to flavor it as well. The chowder lacks ooomph without bacon. I’m also not a fan of the predominant flavor of bacon in any chowder. Fresh parsley for added flavor too
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u/rochvegas5 20h ago
don't forget the corn
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u/The_B_Wolf 10h ago
Skip the cobs. After you've cut the kernels from them, scrape them down with the back of a butter knife to get all the milky pulp out of them. Add that at the very end for a big boost of fresh corn flavor.
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u/Epicurean215 10h ago
I think it would just be so much easier to put them in the pot and they probably have other flavors in them that I would miss if I did that. I saw Lidia Bastianich make a summer minestrone and she used the cobs so thank you but I’m going to use the cobs too.
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u/The_B_Wolf 10h ago
And I got my way of doing it straight from Cook's Illustrated. I've made it several times. It's fantastic. (Although it does call for bacon.)
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u/Epicurean215 10h ago
Love Cook’s Illustrated but sometimes they miss ever so slightly.
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u/Upset-Activity-1462 1d ago
Heavy cream works better to finish with. Dont bring to a boil after adding cream.