This year I was gifted some sweet corn, freshly picked the night before. First of all, there’s something magical about fresh sweet corn, but to think of it being picked, on a balmy summer night by the light of the moon. All of a sudden it seemed even more magical! Some of my Sweet Corn went to my Instant Pot Sweet Corn (love love love no pots of boiling water and the IP cooks corn so beautifully) and the rest, well it went into this Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not.
Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not
I grew up in Iowa where the sweet corn is a gorgeous thing. We always had a garden but never grew our own corn because there were always places around where we could go and pick it. It was one of my fave things to do because that meant an outing with my Da, and those were few and far between! At least if you didn’t count our weekly trips to the city dump (after the days the incinerators were no longer used, which was just a fancy way of saying big metal can you burned your refuse in!) and then, the car wash!
About Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not:
Okay, so maybe we were a little desperate for entertainment in my small, Iowa town, lol!! Nothing beats freshly picked Sweet Corn, though. It’s so good, I usually try to serve it on the cob when it’s at its absolute peak. As summer winds down and we’ve had our fill, that’s when I think of other ways to use the dwindling bounty. Corn Chowder is always one of them! Every year. I think maybe it’s a tradition at my house, by now, and maybe it will be one of yours, too.
I actually have another recipe for what I call End of Summer Corn Chowder on my site, but a gal can never have too many corn chowder recipes, amirite? These are both so good, the Summer corn Chowder is very classic, old school and sublime, just full of corn flavor. This Potato Corn Chowder, Instant Pot or Not is a much heartier chowder, with tons of flavor and loaded with bacon and potatoes as well as the corn.
Potato Corn Chowder really reads as a meal. Add a hunk of bread, would cornbread be overkill? Probably! Or maybe a sandwich, and you’re set for lunch or dinner. And I’ll let you in on a little secret. This recipe is fantastic with fresh corn, frozen corn and yes, even canned corn!
End of Summer Corn Chowder
Making Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not:
I’ve become a pretty big fan of my Instant Pot; for one, I love the way I can steal a few minutes as the Instant Pot does its thing and I don’t have to tend or stir! I have a little time to set the table, put my feet up, prep other parts of the meal…or look for the camera, lol! But I know not everyone has an Instant Pot, so when I do Instant Pot recipes, I try to cover you with the traditional method, too.
Whether you make Potato Corn Chowder on the stove or in the instant pot, you need to be aware that as you saute up the onion in the bacon drippings, they can get a little thick and sticky; add a touch of water if that happens. You don’t want them darkening and caramelizing on the bottom of the pan. In the Instant Pot you’ll need to be particularly aware. If there is any dark “fond” on the bottom of the liner, it may cause the dreaded “burn” notice as it cooks under pressure.
To easily remove the kernels from the cob, shove a heavy fork or corn cob holder into the top of the slim end. Place the fat end on top of the center hole of a bundt pan and using a knife (not your best as it might hit the metal) slice down along the edges of the cob, releasing the kernels. They’ll fall into the bundt pan. If you don’t have a bundt pan, place the ear of corn on top of a small overturned bowl on top of a rimmed sheet pan. Preferably use a bowl that thas a small lip around the bottom; the cob will be less likely to slide off.
Saving Money on Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not:
Here in the Midwest, where Sweet Corn is abundant in late Summer to early Fall, corn will often reach a low of 20 cents an ear (or five for a dollar) and 25 cents an ear is very easy to find. This is another case where fresh, in-season vegetables are much less than frozen or canned. Out of season, it’s a different story, although more recently Sweet Corn has become more available, husked and trimmed to size to fit into styrofoam plastic-wrapped packages. Those that I’ve seen have often been much more than ears of fresh corn.
All these prices vary by season. While you might expect fresh corn to be less during the time it is harvested, plentiful and abundant, both frozen and canned corn are usually at their low at the same time, when the warehouses are full. This is usually a great time to stock up your pantry and freezer, with some of the lowest prices of the year. Of course, watch for sales at any time of the year, especially around holidays. If your family eats a lot of corn, and most families I know of with small children do, do the math. Figure out how much your family is likely to eat for the year and shop accordingly.
Some helpful things to know are that a slim cob of corn will usually give about 3/4 cup of kernels, a fat one about a cup. A 15 ounce can of corn has close to 2 2/3 cups of kernels. A bag of frozen corn, 10 ounces will have about two cups of kernels.
Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not
Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon chopped, divided when cooked (set one slice worth aside for garnish)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups corn, about a pound of kernels (3 to 4 ears)
- 1 pound red potatoes (four or five medium) peeled if desired and cut roughly into chunks 3/4″
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed in about 3 tablespoons water)
- 1 cup cream or half and half
- fresh parsley, chives or green onion for garnish, chopped, along with reserved bacon
Instructions
Stovetop Version:
In a Dutch oven, add bacon. Turn heat on to medium-high. Cook stirring now and then until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy but with still a bit of chew. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain the bacon on paper towels.
Add onion to the pot and saute until softened, again, stirring now and then. Add garlic and continue to stir until fragrant, a minute or two longer. If at any time, the bacon drippings start to darken, add just a little bit of water. Add stock, corn, potatoes, salt, thyme, chipotle powder or cayenne (whichever is being used), and black pepper along with about 3/4’s of the bacon. (Reserve the rest for garnish.) Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook, stirring now and then for about 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
In the meantime, make the slurry; place the cornstarch in the bottom of a small cup. Add water while stirring, until cornstarch is thoroughly mixed in. Once the potatoes are tender add the cornstarch and stir for two to three minutes until chowder has thickened. Turn off heat and stir in the cream or half and half. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve garnished with parsley, chives or green onions and top each serving with a little of the reserved bacon.
Instant Pot Version:
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Add bacon to the Instant Pot Liner. Turn on to Saute, medium. Cook stirring now and then until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy but with still a bit of chew. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain the bacon on paper towels.
Add onion to the pot and saute until softened, again, stirring now and then. Add garlic and continue to stir until fragrant. If at any time, the bacon drippings start to darken, add just a little bit of water. Add about a cup of the stock and scrape the bottom of the pot, making sure there are no dark areas. Add the remainder of the stock, corn, potatoes, salt, thyme, chipotle powder or cayenne (whichever is being used), and black pepper along with about 3/4’s of the bacon. (Reserve the rest for garnish.) Cancel the Saute setting and seal pot. Set to Pressure High and the timer for 8 minutes.
In the meantime, make the slurry; place the cornstarch in the bottom of a small cup. Add water while stirring, until cornstarch is thoroughly mixed in. Once the pot beeps, allow a natural release for five minutes then quick-release pressure on the pot, watching closely that nothing comes out but steam; if at any point, the pot sputters or anything other than steam comes out, turn the valve off, wait a minute and then continue. Once the lid is off, cancel the pressure and set to Saute High. Once simmering (should be almost immediately) add the cornstarch slurry and stir for two to three minutes until chowder has thickened. Turn off heat and stir in the cream or half and half. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve garnished with parsley, chives or green onions and top each serving with a little of the reserved bacon.
Notes
Have your stock or water at the ready to add once onion and garlic and corn is sauteed so too much fond doesn’t build up on the bottom of the pot.
Keywords: Soup, Instant Pot, Corn, Cream, Half and Half, Bacon
I’ll be sharing Potato Corn Chowder Instant Pot or Not at Fiesta Friday #292, cohosted this week by Ai @ Ai Made It For You.
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