Cod and Potato Chowder

Name: Cod and Potato Chowder
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 2 medium ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour; 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf; 1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (or ½ tsp dried); 12 oz can (1⅓ cups) (354 ml) evaporated milk; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1½ lb (680 g) skinless cod fillets, patted dry, pin bones removed, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, smoky New England-style fish chowder built on crisp bacon, tender Yukon Gold potatoes and big flakes of cod. Evaporated milk gives it a rich body and keeps it stable, so it won't curdle easily.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 2½ quarts (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
2 medium ribs (100 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 leaf (1 g) dried bay leaf
1 teaspoon (2 g) fresh thyme leaves, stripped from the stems (or ½ tsp dried)
12 oz can (1⅓ cups) (354 ml) evaporated milk
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1½ lb (680 g) skinless cod fillets, patted dry, pin bones removed, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) chunks
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Equipment (5)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot or stockpot with a lid
Wooden spoon
Slotted spoon
Sharp knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Pat the cod dry and keep it refrigerated until the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Cut the potatoes and cod into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.
Have the evaporated milk and whole milk out of the fridge while you cook so they don't chill the pot too much.
Read the cod step first: the fish finishes in the residual heat, so don't let the chowder boil once it goes in.

1
Prep the ingredients
- Cut the bacon, onion, celery, potatoes and cod as described in the ingredient list.
- Keep the cod in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.
- Keep the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water if you won't use them within 15 minutes, then drain well before cooking.
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Ready when: Potatoes and cod are in even, similar-sized pieces.
Tip: Even pieces matter more than perfect ones: small bits of cod overcook quickly.
2
Render the bacon
- Place the bacon in the cold pot and set over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7–8 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is browned and crisp.
- Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
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Ready when: Bacon is deep golden and crisp, with about 3 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
Tip: Starting in a cold pot renders the fat gently so the bacon crisps without burning.
3
Soften the vegetables
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat if there is more.
- Add the butter and let it melt.
- Add the onion and celery with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 6–7 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and the pot smells sweet and smoky.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat. Browned onion changes the chowder's color and flavor.
4
Cook the flour
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes so no dry flour remains and the mixture looks pasty and smells slightly toasty.
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Ready when: Flour is fully absorbed into a pale, pasty coating with no dry white streaks.
Tip: Cooking the flour briefly removes any raw taste.
5
Simmer the potatoes
- Slowly pour in the stock while stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the potatoes, bay leaf, thyme and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover partially and simmer for 14–16 minutes.
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Ready when: A potato cube slides off a knife tip with no resistance, but still holds its shape.
Tip: Stir once or twice so the potatoes don't stick to the bottom.
6
Thicken with potato
- Press about ¼ of the potato cubes against the side of the pot with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up.
- The released starch will thicken the broth.
- Stir well.
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Ready when: Broth looks slightly cloudy and coats the back of a spoon lightly.
7
Add the milks
- Stir in the evaporated milk and whole milk.
- Heat over medium-low for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until steaming hot with tiny bubbles at the edge.
- Do not let it boil.
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Ready when: Surface is steaming and small bubbles form at the edge of the pot, but it is not bubbling across the surface.
Tip: A hard boil can make the milk proteins separate and look grainy.
8
Poach the cod
- Season the cod chunks with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, then nestle them into the chowder in a single layer as much as possible.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5–6 minutes without stirring.
- Turn off the heat.
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Ready when: Cod is opaque white throughout and flakes easily with a fork; an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F (63°C).
Tip: Stir gently, if at all, after this point. Cod falls apart into flakes, which is fine, but over-stirring turns it to mush.
9
Rest and season
- Leave the pot covered off the heat for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
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Ready when: Chowder is thick enough to coat a spoon and tastes well seasoned.
Tip: Bacon and stock are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
10
Serve
- Ladle the chowder into warm bowls, making sure each bowl gets plenty of cod and potato.
- Top with the crisp bacon and sliced chives.
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Tip: Add the bacon just before serving to keep it crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape and still release enough starch to thicken the broth. Russets tend to fall apart.
Cut the cod into larger chunks than you think you need. They shrink and flake as they cook.
Always keep the chowder below a boil after adding the milk to prevent curdling.
Chowder tastes even better the next day. Reheat gently and, if too thick, thin with a splash of milk.

Make ahead

Make the chowder through step 7 up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it, keeping the bacon separate. Reheat gently over medium-low until steaming, then add the cod and finish from step 8.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate completed chowder in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C); do not boil. Freezing is not recommended because the potatoes turn grainy and the milk can separate. Keep leftover bacon separate at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerated for 3 days, and re-crisp in a dry skillet.

Substitutions

skinless cod fillets → haddock, pollock or hake. Use the same weight and cooking time; any firm white fish works.
low-sodium fish stock or chicken stock → 2 cups water plus 1 cup bottled clam juice. Gives a more briny flavor; reduce added salt and taste before seasoning.
whole milk → half-and-half. For a richer, thicker chowder.
thick-cut bacon → salt pork, diced and rendered the same way. A traditional New England alternative; rinse it briefly if very salty.