Low Carb Smoky Bacon and Turkey Chowder Recipe
Put those turkey leftovers to good use in this delicious low carb and gluten free turkey chowder recipe flavored with bacon and cheddar cheese!
Put those turkey leftovers to good use in this delicious low carb and gluten free turkey chowder recipe flavored with bacon and cheddar cheese!
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 8 oz bacon
- 1 large shallot peeled and chopped
- 8 cups turkey (or chicken) stock
- 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups raw sweet potato peeled and chopped
- 4 cups cooked turkey meat shredded or chopped
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- Carbohydrate 1.11761466510882 g
- Cholesterol 84.568300708 mg
- Fat 20.5152042667502 g
- Fiber 0.086625000228635 g
- Protein 26.2501762421338 g
- Saturated Fat 8.30302718588584 g
- Serving Size 1 1 generous serving (118g)
- Sodium 350.315474037638 mg
- Sugar 1.03098966488018 g
- Trans Fat 2.29833372339965 g
- Calories 300 calories
Step-by-step
- Chop the raw bacon into 1 inch pieces.
- Brown the bacon in a medium saute pan until slightly crisp.
- Remove about 1/4 cup of the bacon, crumble and set aside for garnish.
- Add the shallots and celery to the bacon and grease in the pan, cooking until soft - about 5 minutes.
- Add the turkey stock, whipping cream and shredded cheddar cheese, whisking until melted and mostly smooth.
- Carefully add the sweet potato, turkey, parsley, and liquid smoke.
- Simmer about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
- Whisk in the xanthan gum and cook for 5 more minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the fresh thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with cooked bacon and more fresh thyme leaves.
The Heavy Lifting of Rendered Fat
Liquid smoke and bacon supply the aromatic backbone of this dish, substituting for hours of traditional smoking without requiring an outdoor smoker or wood chips. Rendering bacon over medium heat melts the intramuscular fat, creating a frying medium that extracts maximum aromatic compounds from shallots and celery within five minutes. Cooking aromatics directly in pork fat coats them evenly and accelerates the breakdown of cell walls.
Starch Alternatives and Thickening Physics
Traditional chowders rely on flour-based roux or starchy potatoes, but this formulation uses xanthan gum to achieve viscosity without adding carbohydrates. Because xanthan gum hydrates instantly in both hot and cold liquids, whisking it into a simmering broth requires vigorous motion to prevent clumping. Simmering the mixture for five full minutes after adding the gum allows the polysaccharide chains to fully unfold and bind free water molecules.
Fresh Versus Preserved Elements
Using cooked turkey instead of raw poultry changes the protein dynamic entirely, as pre-cooked meat is already firm and will not release additional moisture into the soup. Fresh herbs like thyme leaves and dried parsley introduce volatile oils that degrade under prolonged heat, which is why they are introduced toward the end of the cooking process rather than at the beginning. Maintaining a gentle simmer for twenty minutes ensures the raw sweet potato chunks soften completely without breaking apart into the dairy base.
