Jodie's Shrimp and Crawfish Chowder
This is the easiest recipe for chowder ever. I always get asked for the recipe
This is the easiest recipe for chowder ever. I always get asked for the recipe
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 can corn drained
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups half and half
- 1/2 cup butter divided
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 bunch green onions chopped
- 1 pound frozen crawfish tails cleaned, rinsed
- 2 cans cream of potato soup
- Carbohydrate 24.6061071604995 g
- Cholesterol 347.665184434862 mg
- Fat 55.1591012706362 g
- Fiber 0.963166677256425 g
- Protein 36.4068656235643 g
- Saturated Fat 31.8534091662859 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (533g)
- Sodium 1422.47969339817 mg
- Sugar 23.6429404832431 g
- Trans Fat 5.25459056187701 g
- Calories 735 calories
Step-by-step
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat.
- Saute onions until tender.
- Remove from pan.
- In same skilled, melt another 1/4 cup butter and saute crawfish 5 minutes.
- Remove from pan.
- melt remaining 1/4 cup butter and cook shrimp until just pink.
- Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
- Heat on high for about 30 minutes until cream cheese starts to melt.
- Reduce to low and cook another 30 minutes, or until blended well.
Most cooks add chilled cream cheese directly to hot stock, which results in persistent lumps. Softening the cheese to room temperature before combining it with the half and half ensures a uniform emulsion in the slow cooker. When substituting half and half with heavy cream, dilute the fat content slightly with whole milk to prevent the soup from breaking during the extended heating cycle.
Shrimp and crawfish require distinct handling to maintain proper texture. Cook the shrimp only until they turn opaque and pink in the skillet, because overcooking causes them to toughen significantly during the subsequent slow cooker phase. Thaw frozen crawfish tails thoroughly and drain them completely before sautéing to avoid diluting the pan fats with excess water.
Canned cream of potato and mushroom soups serve as the primary starch base, replacing the traditional roux. Whisk these canned bases thoroughly with the dairy before adding the seafood to prevent concentrated pockets of thickener. Maintaining the slow cooker on high for the initial 30 minutes rapidly brings the dairy to the necessary temperature threshold.
Scaling this recipe requires attention to the pot capacity. Doubling the batch exceeds the standard six-quart slow cooker limit, necessitating a shift to a larger stockpot maintained on very low stovetop heat. Store leftover chowder in airtight glass containers for up to three days, reheating gently without boiling to protect the seafood proteins.
