Cheesy Ham Chowder
From Taste Of Homes Quick Cooking Annual 2001, this soup is one of my familys favorites. It's chock-full of potatoes, ham and carrots. I like to make this comforting soup at least once or twice a month during the fall and winter.
From Taste Of Homes Quick Cooking Annual 2001, this soup is one of my familys favorites. It's chock-full of potatoes, ham and carrots. I like to make this comforting soup at least once or twice a month during the fall and winter.
- Carbohydrate 20.9524324721347 g
- Cholesterol 72.1266 mg
- Fat 26.9581567317456 g
- Fiber 2.36965635427076 g
- Protein 20.9474534313597 g
- Saturated Fat 12.4179847184625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (237g)
- Sodium 996.519310357724 mg
- Sugar 18.5827761178639 g
- Trans Fat 2.12087181289744 g
- Calories 406 calories
Step-by-step
- In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. In the drippings, saute onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham; heat until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon.
Unlike a thin, broth-based vegetable soup that relies solely on simmering water for its body, a rich chowder builds its structural integrity from a flour-thickened dairy base that requires careful heat management to prevent curdling. When preparing thick soups containing both starches and dairy, understanding how fats, liquids, and heat interact determines whether the final dish remains velvety or separates into an oily, grainy mess.
- Render the diced bacon in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat to extract the maximum amount of fat without burning the milk solids.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour thoroughly into the rendered vegetable drippings and cook the mixture for one minute to eliminate the raw taste of the starch before introducing the liquids.
- Add the cold milk and water gradually while whisking constantly to prevent the formation of stubborn lumps that ruin the mouthfeel of the soup.
- Simmer the uncovered pot for precisely twenty minutes so the cubed potatoes release enough starch to soften while retaining their shape rather than dissolving completely.
- Melt the shredded cheddar cheese only after removing the pot from direct high heat or maintaining a very low simmer, as excessive temperatures cause the milk proteins to tighten and separate from the fat.
Storing dairy-based chowders requires mindfulness because starches continue to absorb liquid over time, meaning refrigerated leftovers will thicken significantly within 3 days. Reheat individual portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat while stirring frequently, and thin the mixture with a splash of milk if the starches have absorbed too much moisture during refrigeration.
