Ken's East Bay Hotel Corn Chowder

A thick, creamy corn chowder loaded with cubed potatoes, carrots, celery, and crispy bacon. The kind of soup that makes you forget what season it is because it’s always the right time for a bowl this good.

Cooking the onions in the bacon drippings is where the flavor starts building. That rendered fat carries a smoky richness into every spoonful. Three cups of cream-style corn give the chowder its thick, sweet body without needing cream.

The flour and cornstarch slurry mixed into a cup of chicken broth before adding to the pot is a clean thickening method. No lumps, no grainy texture. Just stir it in and let it simmer until the chowder thickens to a velvety consistency.

Pro Tips

• Don’t boil the soup after adding the milk. High heat causes the milk to separate and the chowder will look curdled. Gentle heat only.
• Cut the potatoes into uniform cubes so they cook evenly. Staggered sizes mean some are mushy while others are still raw.
• Reserve the bacon and add it on top when serving. It stays crispy instead of going soggy in the broth.
• This chowder thickens as it sits. When reheating leftovers, thin it with a splash of milk or broth.

Variations

• Add a diced jalapeno with the onions for a spicy Southwestern corn chowder.
• Stir in a cup of sharp cheddar cheese after removing from heat for a cheesy version.
• Swap some of the cream corn for whole kernel corn to add more texture.