Ina's Cheddar Corn Chowder Recipe

Ingredients

8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Preparation

Step 1

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.
.....................

REVIEWS: (234)

This is a great recipe! Easy to put together and it doesn't quite taste like your regular corn chowder. Guess that's what makes it so good!

This was a GREAT recipe, although I tweaked it a bit after reading many of the reviews and suggestions. I cooked the onions for about 20 minutes until they were golden and added two large minced garlic cloves when the onions were almost done. I used peeled Yukon Gold potatoes instead if leaving the peels on, and added one finely diced carrot at the same time as the cubed potatoes. I was running out of room in my pot, so I added only 6 cups of chicken broth instead of 12. I was going to separate the chowder into 2 separate pots if it looked too thick so that I could add the rest of the broth that the recipe called for, but the consistency was perfect. When the chowder was done, I pureed 1/3 of it in a food processor with 1 roasted red bell pepper (the jarred variety and then stirred it back into the rest of the chowder. The final result was AMAZING. It made so much that I gave some away to friends and everyone has raved about it!

Loved it. Halved the recipe and only used 4 strips of bacon chopped with 1/4 cup bacon fat instead of olive oil. I also used an immersion blender after I put in half the corn. Put the bacon back in with the half and half. Next time would double the tumeric, add 3 cloves of garlic, thyme and parsley at the end. I liked someone's idea to add a small can of green chilies. This is a refreshing lighter version of the typical thick white and heavy chowders.

I halved this recipe and followed it mostly to the tee. I didn't have turmeric, so I googled, and it said substitute dry mustard. It was wonderful!!! The only other "extra" I added was a can of diced green chiles. My 7 year old practically licked the bowl clean!!! Definitely will add to the rotation. Oh... One onion for half the recipe is plenty!!

This recipe was great and easy. I followed it as stated and the whole family loved it. This is saying something because I've got a 3 year old who recently decided he hates all food besides peanut butter and fruit roll-ups. Will definitely add to the rotation.

This soup has definitely earned a spot in my favorite soup list. Warm and comforting and each flavor shines though on it's own as well as complements each other. Read the recipe, especially the ingredient list before making this soup. It takes a LARGE pot and makes a huge quantity of soup, my guess is close it 6 quarts. After feeding 5 adults and 1 teen, I still had just over 3 quarts remaining. Substitutions work well in this recipe. I didn't have any tumeric and left it out. Before adding the half and half, the soup was kind of an unappetizing color. I'm sure the tumeric would have helped that but the color was just fine after the half and half. I only had 2 pounds of corn available instead of 3 but didn't miss it because I added a shredded rotisserie chicken to bulk this up for my husband. When reading this recipe the first time, I missed that the cheddar was supposed to be white sharp and instead got yellow sharp. This really is GOOD soup!

Absolutely great recipe. I used half of the recipe. I seasoned 2 chicken breasts, cooked them in the pressure cooker, cut it up and added it to the chowder at the end with the corn. Yum!

This recipe was very tasty, but would eliminate the tumeric. It made the chowder soooo yellow.

Love .. Love .. Love this recipe. I like to make it on rainy or cold day. YUMMY!

My family loves this soup....especially my 33 year old son.
It is really easy and hearty! I vary the type of cheese that I use, using whatever type I have on hand. Sometimes, I omit the bacon and it is still delicious. Thank you, Ina!!

Fabulous!!! Made this to take to a scout function & everyone loved it!! I even cheated & used frozen hashbrown potatoes. It was wonderful!!!

This recipe is amazing. The first time I made it, I didn't have turmeric and left it out. It was so divine that I have made it that way since. I quarter the recipe to make at home, and it makes enough for two or three servings for me and my fiance. It's a very big recipe. It can be easily lightened up with more olive oil or less (or no bacon grease. And if you mix milk and a tsp of cornstarch (per cup milk you can sub out the half & half and it will still get creamy.