Cheesy Ham and Corn Chowder

Name: Cheesy Ham and Corn Chowder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 58 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter; 1 medium (about 1½ cups) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 medium ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; ½ tsp (1 g) dried thyme; ½ tsp (1½ g) smoked paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf; 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, at room temperature or cool from the fridge; 3 cups (430 g) frozen sweet corn kernels, no need to thaw; 2 cups (300 g) cooked ham, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; 8 oz (about 2 cups shredded) (225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block; kosher salt, to taste, added at the end; 2 scallions (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional); hot sauce, to taste, for passing at the table (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, creamy stovetop chowder loaded with diced ham, sweet corn, tender Yukon gold potatoes and sharp cheddar. It's built on a simple butter-and-flour base, so it needs no cream and comes together in about an hour. It's a good way to use leftover holiday ham.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 38 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 3 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), serving 6

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 tbsp (43 g) unsalted butter
1 medium (about 1½ cups) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 medium ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
½ tsp (1 g) dried thyme
½ tsp (1.5 g) smoked paprika
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, at room temperature or cool from the fridge
3 cups (430 g) frozen sweet corn kernels, no need to thaw
2 cups (300 g) cooked ham, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
8 oz (about 2 cups shredded) (225 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block
kosher salt, to taste, added at the end
For serving
2 scallions (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
hot sauce, to taste, for passing at the table (optional)

Equipment (5)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot or stockpot with a lid
Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
Potato masher
Box grater
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Shred the cheddar yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch and can make the soup grainy.
Dice the potatoes into even ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes so they all cook at the same time.
Use leftover cooked ham or a thick-cut ham steak. Ham is salty, so don't add any salt until the very end.
There's no need to thaw the frozen corn. It goes in straight from the freezer.
This recipe is made entirely on the stovetop. No oven is needed.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Dice the onion, celery, potatoes and ham as listed.
- Mince the garlic.
- Grate the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater and set it aside at room temperature while you cook.
- Measure the flour, broth and milk so they are ready to add.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped and measured within reach of the stove.
Tip: Cut the potatoes into uniform cubes so they cook evenly and none turn to mush before the rest are tender.
2
Soften the vegetables
- Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and stir to coat in the butter.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 6 to 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The onion is translucent and soft with no browned edges.
Tip: If the vegetables begin to brown, lower the heat. Browning would darken the chowder and add a bitter edge.
3
Cook garlic and flour
- Stir in the garlic, then sprinkle the flour, thyme, smoked paprika and pepper over the vegetables.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1½ to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
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Ready when: The flour looks like a pasty coating on the vegetables, smells lightly toasty and the garlic is fragrant.
Tip: Keep stirring and scrape the bottom of the pot so the flour doesn't scorch.
4
Add broth and potatoes
- Pour in the broth about ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot after each addition so no lumps form.
- Add the potatoes and bay leaf.
- Raise the heat to high until the liquid reaches a boil, then lower to medium-low.
- Cover partially and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes.
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Ready when: A cube of potato slides off a knife tip easily and can be crushed against the side of the pot with a spoon.
Tip: Stir once or twice during simmering to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom.
5
Thicken the base
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Press a potato masher straight into the pot 5 or 6 times, mashing about a quarter of the potatoes into the broth.
- Leave the rest of the cubes whole.
- Stir well.
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Ready when: The broth looks cloudy and noticeably thicker, with plenty of whole potato cubes still visible.
Tip: Mash lightly. Over-mashing makes the chowder gluey instead of chunky.
6
Add milk, corn and ham
- Stir in the milk, frozen corn and ham.
- Heat over medium-low, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Bring it to a gentle steam with a few small bubbles at the edge, but do not let it boil.
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Ready when: The corn is hot and tender, the ham is heated through to 140°F (60°C), and the chowder coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Boiling after the milk goes in can cause it to curdle or separate, so keep the heat gentle.
7
Melt in the cheese
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Add the cheddar in 3 or 4 handfuls, stirring each handful until it melts before adding the next.
- Taste, then stir in salt a pinch at a time.
- Ham and cheese are both salty, so you may need very little.
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Ready when: The cheese has melted completely and the chowder is smooth, glossy and orange-gold with no stringy clumps.
Tip: Adding cheese off the heat prevents it from turning grainy or oily.
8
Rest and serve
- Let the chowder rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes so it thickens slightly.
- Stir, then ladle into warm bowls.
- Top with sliced scallions and pass hot sauce at the table.
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Ready when: The chowder is thick enough to leave a trail when a spoon is drawn through it.
Tip: If it's thicker than you like, thin it with a splash of warm milk.

Good to know

Tips

Grate the cheese from a block and add it off the heat for a smooth, glossy melt.
Taste before salting. Ham, cheddar and broth all contribute salt, and it's easy to over-season.
For a thicker chowder, mash a few more potatoes. For a brothier one, stir in extra milk at the end.
Serve with crusty bread or oyster crackers to round out the meal.

Make ahead

Make the chowder through step 6 up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, then add the cheese off the heat just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: not recommended, because the potatoes turn grainy and the dairy can separate. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, stirring often, with a splash of milk to loosen it. Don't boil it. A microwave also works at 50% power in 1-minute bursts, stirring in between.

Substitutions

cooked ham → cooked crumbled bacon or diced smoked sausage. Use the same weight. If you use bacon, cook it first and use 1 tbsp of the drippings in place of 1 tbsp of the butter.
frozen sweet corn kernels → fresh corn kernels cut from 4 to 5 ears. Use 3 cups. Fresh corn may need 2 to 3 extra minutes in step 6.
sharp cheddar cheese → pepper jack or Gruyère. Use the same weight, freshly grated, for a spicier or nuttier chowder.
whole milk → half-and-half. Swap 1:1 for a richer chowder. Skim milk will taste thin.