Shrimp and Corn Chowder

Published April 19, 2024

Shrimp and Corn Chowder
Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
About 1 hour
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(1,061)
Comments
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Creamy and a little sweet with a hint of salty smoke from bacon, this classic chowder   makes use of canned corn for its tenderness and ease, but you could go all in with fresh corn. If you have the time, buy shell-on shrimp and save the shells to enhance boxed stock. Even a quick simmer of five minutes will give the finished chowder more flavor. Using medium or large shrimp instead of jumbo cuts down on cooking time—plus there will be more to enjoy, especially for leftovers. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 6strips bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1pound medium to large shelled and deveined shrimp, tails removed 
  • Salt 
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour 
  • 4scallions, whites separated from greens, thinly sliced
  • 4medium, unpeeled red potatoes (about 1¼ pounds), cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 3celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch cubes
  • 2teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (from 2 to 4 sprigs)
  • 1(15.25-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1quart fish or chicken stock
  • 2cups whole milk
  • Hot sauce (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

680 calories; 36 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 43 grams protein; 1823 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To a large, wide pot, add the bacon and turn the heat to medium. Cook until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving as much fat as possible in the pot. Set bacon aside for serving.

  2. Step 2

    While the bacon cooks, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Add the shrimp to the pot. Cook until just opaque, about 30 seconds per side. Turn off the heat. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a medium bowl and set aside, leaving the fat in the pot.

  3. Step 3

    Melt the butter in the same pot over medium. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk continuously until a golden brown and a loose paste (a roux) starts to form, 1 to 2 minutes. It should have a rich, nutty aroma and bubble slightly when not whisking. Add scallion whites, potatoes, celery, thyme, corn and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until everything is well coated with the roux. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce followed by 2 cups of the stock, stirring and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the remaining stock and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

  4. Step 4

    When boiling, decrease heat to medium and simmer, uncovered and occasionally stirring, until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Return the shrimp and any collected juices to the pot. Simmer until shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt. Divide among shallow bowls and top with scallion greens and crispy bacon bits. Add dashes of hot sauce, if desired.

Tip
  • Reheat chowder over low heat, otherwise the milk will break.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,061 user ratings
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Comments

This is, I'm sure, fine. But odd. I don't think you need the bacon in any kind of a seafood chowder. It doesn't need a roux because the potatoes, as they cook, will shed ample starch. The shrimp don't need cooking at all-- add them for the last two minutes, boom-done. And I'd say there's insufficient allium-- I would use a large onion (red, white, yellow, Vidalia) diced up and sauteed in butter to *start*.

Add some smoked paprika to simulate the bacon’s flavor without adding meat.

There is really no need to pre-cook the shrimp. Just add it at the end and even with the heat off, it will cook through in just a few minutes.

This was outstanding. I made a few tiny changes based on what I had: 1) used 3 ears of fresh corn, cut the corn off the cob and cooked it in olive oil seasoned w old bay 2) uses the leftover husks to make corn stock (bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, a bit of salt) 3) no green onions, used a few cloves of garlic minced. We ate this with toasted, buttered, salted sourdough and a few dashes of Tabasco (for me). Can't wait for leftovers for lunch tomorrow!!!

I followed the cooking instructions as written and had excellent success—really delicious soup with a silky consistency. Here were the ingredient substitutions I made based on what I had to hand (this was a great freezer clean-out for me): —half a red onion instead of scallions —russet potatoes instead of red —frozen corn instead of canned —tail-on frozen shrimp For seasoning I also added a splash of dry sherry, which I always love in soups like this. Topped with fresh snipped chives from my garden. Happily received by my family, will make again.

Absolutely perfect recipe. Just thick enough. Great mix of flavors. The chowder can stand alone without the shrimp. I cooked this ahead of time without the shrimp, then cooked the shrimp the day of my a dinner party, and dropped it on top of the bowls with some bacon and scallions It was restaurant quality. And everything came together quite quickly. Highly recommend this one!

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