How to Make Chowder

Have you ever learned how to make chowder? These recipes have been popular for centuries especially among the fishing villages. Often these chowders were referred to as soups or stews. Originally anything available was thrown into the pot to make these thick soups; any extra fish, seafood and meats available. All kinds of vegetables which were grown or even things like salt pork if it was available. The word “chowder” comes from calderia or caldron which means a large cooking pot which was used over the open fire. These pots of food were often put together by the fishermen’s wives so only the extras could be used. Since its early beginnings, this thick type of stew has expanded to include many delicious combinations of ingredients.


If you are learning how to make chowder, today the recipes have grown to include a larger variety of ingredients. They might include seafood like salmon, lobster, conch, clams all kinds of meat and even a mixture of many of these. Today you will find many people who do not care for seafood but still love the vegetable chowders. These and be made with one or two vegetables as in corn chowder soup recipes or like the seafood, it can be a combination of many vegetables. There are also recipes made with other meats like ham and chicken; you might also combine any of these meats with a combination of vegetables. You will find many recipes are linked and made according to specific areas like the New England fish chowder and the Manhattan clam chowder.


If you are learning how to make chowder, regardless of the type it must be thick. Chowder is typically thickened with a mixture of milk and flour; often adding heavier creams too. There are some versions which do not use milk in the recipes like the Manhattan clam chowder recipe. It uses tomatoes and omits the milk or creams; sometimes it is still thickened with flour or it might use a grated potato. Many different foods like salt pork and many spices from onion to bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper can be used for a great seasoning.

HOW TO MAKE CHOWDER with CORN

If you are learning how to make chowder, people who do not like seafood love this corn recipe.

  • 2 Tablespoons diced bacon
  • 3 Tablespoons diced onion
  • 1 Quart cream
  • 4 Cups small diced potatoes
  • 2 ½ Cups cream style corn
  • Salt/ pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Brown bacon in a heavy cooking pot. Add onion and cook until tender but not brown. Add cream and potatoes. Bring just to a boil and cook slowly until potatoes are tender. (About 20 minutes) Add corn and season to taste. Sprinkle each bowl with parsley.

CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

  • 1 Can (10 ounces) minced clams
  • 1 Finely diced potato
  • 1 Tablespoon minced onion
  • 1 Finely grated carrot
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped celery
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ¼ Teaspoon pepper
  • 1 Cup cream
  • 1 Cup milk

Mix all ingredients except cream; heat on medium and cook for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add cream and heat thoroughly; garnish with chopped parsley.

HEARTY CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

  • 4 Slices bacon cut in pieces
  • 3 Chopped green onions with tops
  • 1 Finely chopped carrot
  • 1 Thinly sliced celery stalk
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 Clove minced garlic
  • 5 Medium potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 2 Cups water
  • 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon thyme
  • 4 Drops Tabasco sauce
  • 2 Cans (8 ounces each) minced clams with juice
  • 2 Cups heavy cream

Fry bacon until crisp in a large pot; drain and pour off fat reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

Add green onions, carrot, celery, green pepper and garlic; sauté until soft.

Add potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme and Tabasco; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Mash mixture slightly with hand potato masher; add clams and cream and stir well.

Heat until very hot but do not boil; stir occasionally while heating.

MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER

How to Make ChowderHow to Make Chowder like Manhattan Clam

If you are learning how to make chowder, try this Manhattan recipe which is made with a tomato base instead of a cream base and seasoned with delicious spices.

  • 4 Slices diced bacon
  • 1 Cup chopped onions
  • 1 Cup diced carrots
  • 1 Cup diced celery
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1 Can (28 ounces) tomatoes
  • 2 Jars (11 ½ ounces each) clams
  • 2 Teaspoons salt
  • 4 Black whole peppers
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons thyme
  • 3 Medium peeled and diced potatoes

Fry bacon in a large pot until crisp; add onions and cook until tender.

Add carrots, celery and parsley to the pot; cook 5 minutes while stirring.

Drain tomatoes reserving liquid; add tomatoes to pot.

Drain clams reserving liquid with tomato liquid; set clams aside.

Measure tomato/clam liquid; add enough water to make 6 cups of liquid; add liquid to pot.

Add salt, whole peppers, bay leaf and thyme to pot; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes.

Add potatoes, cover and cook 20 minutes; add clams and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

CONCH CHOWDER RECIPE

  • ¼ Pound salt pork
  • 2 ½ Cups diced potatoes
  • 1 Cup diced carrots
  • ¾ Cup chopped onion
  • ½ Cup sliced celery
  • 1 Small clove minced garlic
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon thyme
  • 4 Peppercorns
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 Quart shelled conch
  • 1 Quart canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 Quart water
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cook salt pork in large pot over medium heat until crisp; add vegetables and garlic.

Cover kettle and simmer for 10 minutes; add seasonings.

Add conch, tomatoes and water to pot.

Cover and gently cook about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender; add Worcestershire sauce.

NOTE: Add salt to taste; much of the salt pork is very salty so it may not need extra.

Note: To make thicker peel a large potato, boil until soft and run through a sieve; stir into chowder.

NEW ENGLAND FISH CHOWDER RECIPE

  • 2 Pounds halibut fillets
  • 2 ½ Teaspoons salt
  • 3 Cups diced peeled potatoes
  • 6 Slices chopped bacon
  • 1 Cup chopped onion
  • 2 Cups milk
  • 2 Cups heavy cream
  • ¼ Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Fry bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels.

Sauté onion in bacon fat until tender

Place fish with 2 cups water in a large saucepan.

Bring fish to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until fish flakes; remove fish and set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon salt and potatoes to fish broth; boil until potatoes are tender.

Flake fish and add to broth; add bacon, onion, remaining salt, milk, cream and pepper.

Bring mixture just to boiling and simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPE (a creamy chowder recipe)

If you are learning how to make chowder, try this delicious chicken vegetable recipe with seasoning of bacon.

  • 4 Slices bacon cut in small pieces
  • 1 Medium chopped onion
  • 6 Tablespoons flour
  • 3 Cups milk
  • 4 Cups chicken broth
  • 4 Cups diced carrots
  • 4 Cups broccoli pieces
  • 2 Cups fresh corn kernels or frozen
  • 2 Cups cooked chicken pieces
  • 1 Jar diced pimentos
  • Salt/pepper to taste

Brown bacon in large skillet until crisp, add onion and cook until tender.

Blend flour into onion bacon mixture; add milk and stir until smooth and thick.

Bring broth to a boil in large pot; add broccoli and carrots and return broth to boil.

Add flour onion mixture to the pot stirring to blend; add corn, chicken and pimento and heat thoroughly.

SIMPLE CLAM CHOWDER RECIPE

When you learn how to make chowder, this simple clam recipe will be a favorite. 

  • 4 Large cans minced clams
  • 2 Carrots
  • 1 Large can whole tomatoes
  • 1 Green bell pepper
  • 2 Large onions
  • ½ Can tomato paste
  • Thyme, salt, pepper
  • Fish stock
  • Soda crackers

Drain clams and reserve liquid; run pepper, onions and carrots through grinder or food processor.

Sauté clams and vegetables in butter in large saucepan until onions are transparent.

Add enough fish stock to clam juice to make 1 ½ quarts; add to pot.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, pepper and salt; crumble 1 cup soda cracker and stir in to thicken.

Simmer for one hour; if too thick add more fish stock.