Emilie Meyer
Corn chowder is a delicious and creamy soup that can be made in a crockpot or slow cooker. It's a perfect comfort food for cold days and can be served as a lunch, dinner, or side dish. The crockpot makes it an easy and convenient recipe as it slowly cooks over a few hours, infusing every bite with sweet and savoury flavours. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to make corn chowder in a crockpot, including tips on ingredients and cooking times. By the end, you'll be able to make a hearty and tasty corn chowder that's sure to impress!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Lunch, dinner, or side dish |
| Main Ingredients | Corn, potatoes, onion, garlic, bacon, chicken broth, heavy cream, butter |
| Other Ingredients | Salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, green onions, parsley, paprika, lime juice, red bell pepper, lemon juice |
| Potato Type | Yukon gold, red potatoes, russet potatoes |
| Corn Type | Fresh, frozen, canned |
| Cook Time | 3-8 hours |
| Recipe Notes | Dairy-free and vegetarian options available |
| Storage | Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4-5 days, freeze for up to 3 months |
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What You'll Learn
Ingredients and prep
Corn chowder is a delicious and creamy soup that can be served as a perfect lunch, dinner, or side dish. It is a great way to enjoy fresh corn during the summer months without heating up your kitchen. The sweetness of the corn is balanced by the other ingredients, resulting in a savoury dish.
To make corn chowder in a crock pot, you will need the following ingredients:
- Corn: You can use frozen corn kernels, fresh corn cut off the cob, or canned/drained corn.
- Potatoes: Russet or baking potatoes are great options, but you can also use Yukon Gold or red potatoes.
- Onion: Yellow or red onion will add a fresh bite and vibrant colour to the chowder.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves or garlic powder.
- Bacon: Thick-cut bacon slices, diced into small pieces, will add a smoky flavour to the chowder.
- Chicken broth or stock: This will form the base of the broth, but you can substitute it with vegetable stock for a vegetarian option.
- Heavy cream: This adds a creamy texture and flavour to the chowder. You can also use evaporated milk, but it won't thicken the soup as much.
- Cornstarch: This will help to thicken the soup.
- Butter: Butter can be used instead of bacon for a vegetarian option, or to add extra creaminess.
- Salt and pepper: These will be used to season the chowder.
- Additional ingredients: You can also add thyme, bay leaves, chives, lime juice, or jalapeños for extra flavour.
- Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and reserve about 1 cup of kernels.
- Scrape the cobs to release the juice (also known as "corn milk").
- Dice the potatoes into small, even-sized pieces.
- Chop the onion and garlic.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until browned, then whisk in flour if desired.
- Combine all the ingredients except the heavy cream, cornstarch, and butter in the crock pot. Add just enough water or broth to cover the ingredients.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or on low for 5-8 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
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Cooking the chowder
First, prepare your ingredients. If you are using fresh corn, you will need to cut the kernels from the cobs and reserve about 1 cup of kernels. You can use frozen corn kernels as a convenient alternative, or even canned corn. For the potatoes, it is recommended to use Russet or Yukon Gold, cut into small, evenly sized pieces. You can also add other vegetables such as carrots and bell peppers.
Next, combine your ingredients in the crock pot. The exact combination of ingredients may vary depending on your preference, but typically includes corn, potatoes, onion, garlic (or garlic powder), salt, pepper, and chicken broth or stock. You can also add bacon at this stage for a smoky flavour, or leave it to be added at the end. Thyme, bay leaves, and butter are other optional additions.
Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 3-5 hours or on low for 5-8 hours. The longer, lower heat setting will result in a more intense flavour as the ingredients slowly cook together.
Once the vegetables are tender, you can add the dairy. Whisk together heavy cream, evaporated milk, or a combination of both with cornstarch to create a slurry, then stir this into the crock pot. This will give your chowder a creamy texture and thickness. Cook for another hour on high, or until the broth reaches your desired consistency.
Finally, add any final touches. If you haven't already, cook and stir in the bacon, then serve with freshly minced chives. You can also top with a relish made from red bell pepper, lemon juice, and corn for a fresh, summery flavour.
Leftover chowder can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It can also be frozen, but cream-based soups may separate, so it is recommended to freeze before adding the cream and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
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Adding dairy and thickening
Corn chowder is a creamy and comforting dish, perfect for a cold day. While it can be made on a stovetop, using a crockpot or slow cooker is a convenient way to slowly infuse the dish with sweet and savoury flavours.
Once the corn, potatoes, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and chicken broth have been combined and cooked in the crockpot, it's time to add dairy and thicken the chowder.
Firstly, remove half of the chowder and set it aside. Then, process the remaining chowder in the crockpot using an immersion blender until it reaches a smooth consistency. Add the reserved chowder back into the crockpot.
For dairy, heavy cream is the most popular choice, but alternatives such as sour cream, light cream, half-and-half, evaporated milk, or even coconut milk can be used. To keep the chowder light and fresh, add the dairy sparingly. Whisk the dairy with the cornstarch mixture before pouring it into the crockpot.
Stir the crockpot well and allow a few minutes for the chowder to thicken. If a thinner consistency is desired, add some chicken broth. Taste the chowder and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
Your corn chowder is now ready to be served! It can be garnished with freshly minced chives, cooked bacon bits, or a bright and fresh relish.
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Serving and storing
Corn chowder is a delicious and comforting meal, perfect for any time of the year. It can be served as a lunch, dinner, or side dish, and is a great way to make use of fresh summer corn. This easy-to-make dish is best served with freshly baked bread, biscuits, or cornbread for dipping.
When it comes to storing corn chowder, it is important to place it in an airtight food storage container and keep it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to four to five days. If you wish to keep it longer, it is best to freeze it. However, freezing cream-based soups may cause them to separate, so it is recommended to defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it over low heat, stirring often to prevent separation.
Corn chowder can be customised to your taste preferences. If you want a thinner consistency, add some chicken broth. To make it vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and butter instead of bacon. You can even make it dairy-free by substituting canned coconut milk for heavy cream.
Corn chowder is a versatile and convenient dish that can be adapted to your liking and enjoyed at any time of the year.
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Recipe variations
Corn chowder is a versatile dish that can be adapted to suit different tastes and dietary requirements. Here are some suggestions for variations on the classic crockpot corn chowder recipe:
Spiciness
If you like your food spicy, add some chopped green chillies, hot sauce, or chilli powder to the crockpot along with the other ingredients. Alternatively, you could use sriracha sauce instead of chilli powder or hot sauce. If you prefer a milder flavour, simply omit these ingredients.
Vegetables
Feel free to experiment with different types of potatoes, onions, and corn. For example, you could use red potatoes instead of Yukon gold, or white onions instead of yellow. If you don't have access to fresh corn, you can use frozen or canned corn. You could also add some diced carrots for extra sweetness and nutrition.
Meat
Corn chowder is often made with bacon, but you can use ham or leave the meat out altogether for a vegetarian option. If you don't eat pork, you can replace the bacon with butter.
Dairy
To make the corn chowder creamy, most recipes call for heavy cream or evaporated milk. However, you can substitute these with whole-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
Herbs and Seasonings
In addition to salt and pepper, you can add fresh herbs such as parsley or chives, or dried herbs such as thyme. You could also try adding some paprika or bay leaves to give the chowder extra depth of flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need corn, potatoes, onion, garlic, butter, chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and bacon.
Corn chowder can be cooked on a high setting for 3-5 hours or on a low setting for 5-8 hours.
You can use frozen, fresh, or canned corn. If using fresh corn, you will need about 8 cobs.
Leftover corn chowder can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It can also be frozen for up to three months.
