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I first made this Ham and Corn Chowder on a chilly winter evening using leftover holiday ham and it's been warming our hearts ever since. The combination of smoky ham crispy bacon sweet corn and tender potatoes in that creamy broth creates pure comfort in a bowl. Best of all it comes together in under an hour making it perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.
Why You'll Love This Chowder
This hearty chowder has everything you want in a comforting one pot meal. As it simmers your kitchen fills with the most amazing aromas of bacon and sautéed onions. Each spoonful delivers that perfect balance of salty ham sweet corn and creamy potatoes. Whether I'm serving it for a family gathering or just a simple dinner at home it never fails to bring smiles to the table.
Everything You Need
Let's gather our ingredients:
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 2 cups diced ham leftover holiday ham works perfectly
- 2 cups corn fresh frozen or canned all work beautifully
- 2 large potatoes peeled and diced small
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth I prefer low sodium
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour
- Fresh garlic and your favorite herbs
The quality of your ham and bacon really makes a difference here.
Let's Start Cooking
Start by cooking your chopped bacon in a large pot until it's perfectly crispy. Set it aside on paper towels but leave those flavorful drippings in the pot. Add butter to those bacon drippings then sauté your onion until it's soft and translucent. A quick hit of garlic comes next. Now sprinkle flour over everything and stir constantly this creates the base that will thicken our chowder beautifully.
Slowly whisk in your chicken broth then add those diced potatoes. Let everything simmer together until the potatoes are tender usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
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Making It Creamy
Once your potatoes are fork tender stir in the corn and ham letting them warm through. Now comes my favorite part slowly stirring in that heavy cream. Keep the heat low and let everything get nice and hot. Finally season to taste and add back most of that crispy bacon saving some for topping each bowl.
Making It Your Own
Over the years I've discovered so many ways to vary this chowder. Sometimes I'll add carrots celery or colorful bell peppers. When I don't have ham leftover sausage or turkey work beautifully too. A pinch of cayenne adds wonderful warmth and fresh thyme makes it extra special. For dairy sensitive friends coconut milk creates amazing creaminess without the cream.
Perfect Partners
Nothing beats dunking crusty bread or warm biscuits into this chowder. I usually serve it with a crisp green salad or some roasted vegetables to balance the richness. On really cold nights we love it with homemade cornbread the combination is absolutely perfect.
Keeping It Fresh
Your chowder will keep beautifully in the fridge for about three days. When reheating do it gently on the stovetop stirring often. While cream soups can be tricky to freeze if you need to just warm it slowly when thawing and stir well to bring everything back together.
Common Questions
Friends often ask if canned corn works absolutely just drain it well first. To keep your chowder nice and thick make sure to cook that flour with the butter properly and let those potatoes release their starch as they simmer. Yes you can make it vegetarian just skip the meat add extra vegetables and use vegetable broth. The smoked paprika tip is my favorite for adding that smoky flavor without bacon.
A Bowl of Comfort
This chowder has become such a treasured part of our family meals especially during the cooler months. Every time I make it I think about that first chilly evening when it came together with leftover ham. Now it's one of our most requested comfort foods. I hope it brings as much warmth and happiness to your table as it has to ours.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why use room temperature ingredients?
Room temperature eggs and cream cheese blend more smoothly and create a better texture. Cold ingredients can lead to lumpy batter and frosting.
- → What does cornstarch do in this recipe?
Cornstarch helps make the bars soft and chewy. It tenderizes the dough by preventing some gluten formation in the flour.
- → Can I freeze these bars?
You can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- → Why chop the cranberries?
Chopping helps distribute the cranberries more evenly through the bars and makes them easier to cut into neat triangles.
- → How do I know when they're done baking?
The edges should be lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.