Go Back
Print
Bowl filled with Corn Chowder

Creamy Homestyle Corn Chowder

Thick, creamy, and hearty made-from-scratch Corn Chowder packed full of flavor. This rich chowder is comfort food at its finest! Serve with favorite rolls or bread.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Corn, Corn Chowder, soup,
Servings 8
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara99

Ingredients

  • 3 cups corn kernels (apx. 3 – 4 large corn cobs)
  • 5 cups poultry stock (chicken or turkey)
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • ¼ tsp dried thyme
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp dried dill
  • 1/8 tsp dried summer savory
  • Pinch cayenne
  • Pinch curry powder
  • 2½ - 3" piece parmesan cheese rind (optional)
  • 4 slices bacon, fried crisp
  • 2-3 tbsp butter
  • 2/3 cup onion, diced small
  • ½ cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup carrot, diced small
  • ¼ cup red pepper, finely chopped
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ lb Yukon Gold or red potato, diced into ¼“ pieces
  • tbsp cornstarch (See Note below)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup 10% blend cream, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp sour cream, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. With sharp knife, cut the kernels from the corn cobs. Refrigerate kernels.
  2. Place the stripped corn cobs in small stockpot and add the poultry stock, bayleaf, spices, and parmesan rind. Cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to low and slowly cook mixture for about an hour. Strain mixture in fine wire mesh sieve. Discard cobs and solids.
  3. While the stock is cooking, fry the bacon until crisp. Blot bacon on dry paper towel. When cool break into bite-sized pieces. Set aside for chowder garnish. Remove all but 1½ tablespoons of bacon fat from frypan.
  4. Cut up onion, celery, carrot, and red pepper. Mince the garlic cloves. When stock is almost done cooking, melt butter in the frypan with the bacon fat over medium heat. When butter is melted, add the onions, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring briskly, for 3-4 minutes then add the red pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, until onion starts to become translucent and the vegetables are slightly softened. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring continuously, for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  5. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to a medium-sized stockpot. Add the corn kernels and diced potato. Stir in all of the strained stock except for ½ cup which will be used to mix with the cornstarch to thicken the chowder. Cover stockpot and bring mixture to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are just barely fork tender.
  6. Whisk 2½ tbsp cornstarch into the reserved ½ cup of poultry stock until somewhat smooth. Add 2-3 tablespoons hot mixture from the stockpot to temper the cornstarch mixture then add the thickener into the stockpot, stirring until mixture starts to thicken.

  7. Transfer approximately 3 cups of the mixture to a blender and purée until somewhat smooth. Don't over-purée the mixture as it can become very watery and more difficult to thicken. Pour puréed mixture back into the stock pot. Stir to combine with remainder of unpuréed chowder mixture.

  8. Stir in the maple syrup. Whisk sour cream into the 10% blend cream until blended. Slowly whisk the dairy into the stockpot mixture. Heat thoroughly. Add the cheeses and stir until melted and blended into the chowder. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  9. Ladle chowder into bowls. Garnish with crisp bacon pieces and, if desired, fresh chopped chives or parsley. Serve with rolls or bread.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 6-8 servings

NOTE: The actual amount of thickener needed to achieve the desired thickness of the chowder depends on several factors, including personal preference. The quality and age of the corn and amount of moisture in it and how finely puréed a portion of the chowder is can also affect the thickness of the chowder.  Don't over-purée the mixture as it will become very watery and harder to thicken. It is recommended that the amount of cornstarch called for in the recipe first be used and then more added if and as desired.  Be sure to mix the cornstarch with a little water or stock and then temper it with a couple of tablespoons of the hot chowder mixture before adding and stirring it into the chowder. Go slowly with small amount of thickener at a time as it can set up fairly quickly.