Loaded Corn Chowder

When fresh corn is in season, we enjoy it all kinds of ways… cold in Fiesta Corn Salad, charred in Cast Iron Skillet Corn, and of course, added to a big pot of Low Country Boil. Oh, and did I mention I use the cobs to make Corn Stock? Yep, nothing goes to waste in this kitchen… I remove the corn kernels from the cobs, use the cobs to make a flavorful stock, then use the stock to make this amazing Loaded Corn Chowder.

*The corn stock has to be made a head of time. Follow the directions below so you can have it ready before making this recipe.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• corn stripper https://amzn.to/3q4QMsp

• knorr chicken bouillon cubes https://amzn.to/3Yaa8Jb

• vacuum sealer https://amzn.to/3DvEJHO

• vacuum sealer bags https://amzn.to/3Osm99J

• zip-top freezer bags https://amzn.to/3QdRL41

Loaded Corn Chowder

makes 8-12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the Corn Stock:

• 8 corn cobs, kernels removed

• 3 quarts water

• pinch of salt

For the Chowder:

• 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into small strips

• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion

• 1 cup diced carrots

• 1 cup diced celery

• 3 knorr chicken bouillon cubes

• 5-6 cups corn kernels (from 8 ears of corn)

• 2 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (fresh or dried)

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (fresh or dried)

Directions

To Make the Corn Stock:

1. In a 8-quart or larger stock pot, place naked corn cobs, salt, and 3 quarts of water.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

3. Remove corn cobs from stock; discard cobs.

4. Bring corn stock to a boil and continue boiling until it reduced down to 4 cups of liquid. Use right away or chill for up to 5 days before proceeding to the chowder recipe.

To Make the Chowder:

1. In a 6-quart or larger stock pot, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crispy; remove cooked bacon from pan drippings and set aside until needed.

2. In the same stock pot, cook onions, carrots, and celery in the rendered bacon for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the reduced corn stock, diced potatoes, corn kernels, bouillon cubes, milk, cream, salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne (if using); heat until just under a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, chives, and reserved bacon; stir well.

5. Taste and add more salt if needed. Allow leftovers to cool, then chill in airtight airtight container for up to 5 days. See notes below before you consider freezing.

Notes

• Alternate corn stock directions using an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker can be found HERE. Whichever way you choose, reduce the finished corn stock down until it measures 4 cups - use the concentrated stock to make this chowder recipe.

• Chowders containing potatoes and dairy don’t freeze well, but you can freeze blanched corn on the cob so you can make this recipe any time of the year. Alternatively, you can cut the corn kernels off the cob and make corn stock with the cobs, then freeze the corn kernels and stock separately until needed. For that matter, you could freeze this chowder before adding the potatoes, milk, or heavy cream (just add them on the day you want to serve the chowder, allowing enough time for the potatoes to simmer long enough to become tender).

  • To blanch corn on the cob, remove husks and silks. Boil cobs for 7-11 minutes (see suggested times below), then chill in iced water for the same length of time. Place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 year. Personally, I feel vacuum sealed bags offer a bit more protection than zip-top freezer bags.

    • small cobs - boil for 7 minutes; cool in ice water for 7 minutes.

    • medium cobs - boil for 9 minutes; cool in ice water for 9 minutes.

    • large cobs - boil for 11 minutes; cool in ice water for 11 minutes.

recipe adapted from Natasha’s kitchen

Braised Collard Greens

Collard Greens, a southern staple, are a hearty leafy green vegetable high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. Traditionally, collards are cooked with smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey legs; ingredients which might be difficult for those outside of the southern region to find. This modern recipe calls for bacon, which is available to everyone.

The way I cook collards is similar to the way I cook kale or swiss chard, only collard greens have a much tougher texture that benefits from a longer, slower cooking time. Also, the stems don’t really soften during the cooking process so you may want to consider pickling them.

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Braised Collard Greens

makes 2-4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 bunch collar greens (about 6 large stems, 12-14 inches in length), washed

• 1/2 cup chicken stock (try my homemade)

• 2 sliced bacon, sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wash collard greens well and remove stems (save to make pickles); chop collard leaves into 2x2-inch pieces and set aside until needed.

2. Starting with a cold, 3.5 quart or larger heavy-bottomed dutch oven (here’s the one I used), sauté bacon over medium heat until brown and crispy; remove bacon from dutch oven and set aside.

3. In the remaining bacon drippings, sauté onions until they start to caramelize, then add the minced garlic (and optional crushed red pepper flakes) and sauté, stirring continuously, for 30-60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant; add chicken stock and scrape bottom of dutch oven to dissolve browned bits from pan.

4. Add chopped collards to dutch oven and stir well; cover and lower heat to simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Add a splash of water at any time if the pot liquor evaporates and leaves the dutch oven dry.

5. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and reserved bacon; taste and add additional red wine vinegar and salt and pepper if needed.