Corn Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

Why is my corn chowder not thickening? ›

Cook It Longer

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

Despite these simple differences, the texture of clam chowder is a matter of personal preference. Once a big batch of chowder is made and stored in the fridge, it will soon become watery due to the fact that the fats harden as the soup cools down.

Chowder is a soup with cream or milk mixed with ingredients such as potatoes, sweet corn, smoked haddock, clams and prawns, etc. Some cream-style chowders do not use cream, and are instead prepared using milk and a roux to thicken them.

Heavy cream: Not only does heavy cream make this chowder wonderfully smooth, rich, and creamy, but it also helps the chowder to thicken slightly. You could substitute with half-and-half or evaporated milk, but I don't think they are as good as the cream and more prone to curdling.

Another option is to use a slurry made with water or stock plus cornstarch. It will thicken your corn chowder as it heats to a boil. It's a fast and simple method but doesn't add much flavor. My preference is blending.

Roux (pronounced roo) is a mixture of equal weights (parts) of flour and fat (usually clarified butter; chicken fat, bacon fat, and margarine are also used) cooked over medium heat and stirred constantly. Roux is the most common thickener for sauces and soups.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

It might be tempting to add sour cream or softened cream cheese to help thicken the soup, but these dairy products only work in certain circ*mstances. You must blend cream cheese or sour cream, either with an immersion blender or a full-size blender, for it to thicken a soup.

Does simmering soup longer make it taste better? If you're simmering a thing for hours, you will intensify the flavor by cooking off some of the liquid. This might make it taste better, but if cooked too long, it may end up too salty or otherwise be over-seasoned.

Why did my corn chowder curdle? ›

Dojny says that curdling can happen more often with low-fat or skim milk because there isn't enough fat in the liquid to bind to the potatoes and/or flour. The fresher the dairy, the less likely to curdle, too, Dojny says. Any kind of dairy can break if you boil the chowder too hard.

Regardless of the ingredients used, chowder is always chunky, and most variations are creamy (although Manhattan clam chowder breaks from the mold and uses a tomato base instead of cream or milk).

Of all the different types of potatoes, I'd recommend using russet potatoes for making this soup. They're high in starch, which means they'll help thicken the soup.

Panera at Home Southwest Corn Chowder due to an undeclared wheat allergen. The recall is limited to 1 SKU of 16 oz.

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating. Cover foods to retain moisture and prevent them from picking up odors from other foods.

What if we told you it's possible to thicken corn chowder without dumping in tons of dairy and sacrificing flavor? Several means can help you achieve this goal, but one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to do so is with a simple roux of all-purpose flour, oil or butter, and broth (sometimes with a touch of milk).

Cornstarch is a common thickening agent in the culinary arts, but if you add it directly to the liquid you want to thicken, it will clump up. To thicken a sauce or soup with cornstarch, you first need to make a slurry, which is a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and liquid (usually water, stock or wine).

Heavy cream

Use heavy cream as a keto-friendly thickening option for your soups and broths. Heavy cream has more fat than regular whole milk, so you can add it to your soup recipes without worrying about it curdling.