Comforting and Easy Potato Soup
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 slices bacon cut into â½ inch pieces
- 1 tbsp butter (up to 2)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 21 oz. chicken broth
- 6 large potatoes diced (or enough to come to the top of the liquid from part 1)
- 1 tsp dried dill weed
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 12-oz can evaporated milk
- 6 oz. velveeta cheese or more to taste
- Carbohydrate 24.2222819419309 g
- Cholesterol 67.8196875 mg
- Fat 21.9947679092165 g
- Fiber 2.1546316233519 g
- Protein 8.83225808406329 g
- Saturated Fat 12.2473077323841 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (222g)
- Sodium 353.054356850983 mg
- Sugar 22.067650318579 g
- Trans Fat 1.52244588688359 g
- Calories 327 calories
Step-by-step
- Sauté onion in some butter over medium-high heat until soft.
- Place onion in slow cooker, and stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, dill weed, garlic, and pepper. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours.
- Cook the bacon separately, drain on paper towel, and refrigerate until ready to serve as topping.
- Test to make sure potatoes are done. If not done, turn on high for awhile to make sure potatoes are done. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and heavy cream. Stir into the soup along with the evaporated milk and Velveeta Cheese. Cover, and cook another 30 minutes before serving.
Why is the dairy curdling at the edges of the crock?
Developing a velvety texture in thick vegetable soups requires managing starch release and protein stability. Low, steady heat prevents scorching while breaking down the cell walls of the tubers. Whisking flour directly into heavy cream before adding it to hot liquid prevents lump formation by hydrating the starch grains evenly.
Equipment and Dairy Management
A standard six-quart slow cooker provides adequate headspace for expansion during the final dairy phase. Heavy cream and evaporated milk introduce butterfat and proteins that scorch easily if subjected to direct high heat for extended periods. Introduce processed cheese products and dairy items during the final thirty minutes of heating. This preserves emulsion stability and prevents protein separation.
- Dice tubers to uniform three-quarter-inch cubes to ensure they soften completely within the six-to-seven-hour window.
- Reserve cooked bacon in sealed containers in refrigeration for up to four days to maintain crisp texture before serving.
- If potatoes remain firm at the five-hour mark, switch the dial to high heat to accelerate internal cooking.
- Whisk all-purpose flour into cold heavy cream thoroughly to eliminate pockets of dry powder before pouring into the vessel.
