This cheddar corn chowder is a recipe that I’ve made for almost three years. It’s based on Ree Drummond’s corn & cheese chowder, but we didn’t care for how it turned out with bacon cooked right in the soup. The bacon seemed rubbery, and we prefer our bacon to be a bit crispy. So I changed it up a bit and cooked the bacon seperately. Then to still give the soup some bacon-y flavor, I used some of the drippings to saute the onions, peppers and garlic in. For us, it takes the flavor up to a whole new level.
Because I use the drippings to to saute with, I get the lower sodium bacon. I also go easy on the salt while I’m seasoning the chowder. I also go a bit wild on this recipe and use a bag of frozen corn. Now I realize that I do freeze a LOT of corn in the summer, but I don’t think it does well in this particular recipe. Call me crazy, but I prefer this to have a bit of sweet with the salty and cheesy, rather than a whole lot of sweet.
You can pair it with a good crusty bread, some crescents, a nice side salad, or just eat it by itself. This recipe also makes a ton, which means there’s always leftovers. Bookworm loves taking some in his lunch pail the next day. Either way, it’s very budget friendly, and is a great way to use up some items in your fridge and freezer!
INGREDIENTS:
- 4T butter, or 2T butter & 2T bacon drippings
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bag frozen corn
- 1 cup half & half
- 8oz block sharp cheddar, shredded
- OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
- bacon, cooked
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- In a dutch oven or a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Saute onion and pepper until softened and translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle flour over veggies, stirring to coat. Cook for another minute or two.
- Slowly add broth, making sure all flour is incorporated and there are no more flour lumps. Add frozen corn.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in half & half, and simmer 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Slowly add in cheese, stirring after each addition to make sure it’s melted. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.
- Serve warm with choice of toppings.
Serves 6-10
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