Timber 2 Table - Creamy Catfish Chowder

Add catfish to this velvety chowder full of corn and potatoes for a hearty winter meal

Creamy Catfish Chowder


30 Min

Prep Time


60 Min

Cook Time


5

Servings


Easy

Difficulty

My favorite chowder, bar none, is the clam chowder from Tony's Seafood, a little spot down in Cedar Key, Florida. I'm not alone in my appreciation. The restaurant has sent a team up to the World Chowder Cookoff in Newport, Rhode Island, and won. Multiple times. My second favorite doesn't have any seafood at all. It's the corn chowder from the Old Mill Restaurant down in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This recipe is my take on a combination of the two.

Top the chowder with the reserved bacon and serve with hot sauce and crackers.

Since fresh clams are hard to come by here in Kentucky, we substitute catfish for the protein. The corn is Silver Queen that came from the summer garden, but frozen or even canned sweet corn from the supermarket will work just fine. This hearty chowder will warm up and satisfy your family.


Loaded with potato, corn, and pieces of tender catfish, this chowder is the perfect dish for a winter day.

Ingredients

1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 thick-cut bacon strips

1 large onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 pound frozen or canned sweet corn

1 cup water

1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice

1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups half-and-half or heavy cream, divided

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cooking Instructions

Pat the catfish fillets dry, then cut them into 1-inch pieces.

Catfish fillets are perfect for the chowder because they hold up well when cooked.

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and set aside. Saute the onion in the bacon drippings until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, corn, water, clam juice, chicken base, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

Boil the potatoes, onions, corn, and seasonings for a while before adding the fish and cream.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the catfish and 1 cup of the cream or half-and-half. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and the fish is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the fish and cream, then continue to simmer.

Whisk the flour into the remaining cup of cream or half-and-half and stir into the chowder. Turn up heat and bring the mixture to a light boil for 5-10 minutes longer to cook the flour and allow the chowder to thicken.

Visit the Realtree store for great buys.