Gramma Brown's Corn Chowder

Its always disappointing when a recipe gets high marks but the reviewers suggestions are what REALLY make the difference. This could have easily been a 5 star recipe had I read through half of the reviews. The two key issues I had with this recipe: Calling for milk. It should just be changed to half and half or cream - because the milk seperates - which is not at all appetizing. Having the bacon in from the beginning. The result is almost like an uncooked texture by the end. It should be cooked, kept aside and almost added as a granish upon serving. Leaving the bacon fat in at the beginning stage will impart the flavor and not sacrifice the bacon's texture instead. Granted - I should have instinctively not done both of these things - and will amend if I make this again.

Wow, this was an amazing corn chowder! I did make a couple changes: I cooked the bacon in the soup pot until it was crispy, then removed the bacon and sauteed the onion and celery in the bacon fat. I crumbled the bacon and added it back at the end to keep it crunchy. I found I didn't need to dirty two pans for cooking the bacon and then simmering the soup. I omitted the butter and definitely didn't miss it! Also I drained the can of whole corn and I peeled the potatoes (it wasn't clear in the recipe if I should). All in all, the best corn chowder I have ever eaten!!

I used butter in this recipe instead of margerine and I also used homemade chicken broth and evaporated milk instead of regular milk (the reason for using canned milk in this recipe is it doesn't seperate when cooking which regular milk will do). The thickness was spot on. After tasting it, I did add a few spices but there wasn't much adjustment needed. I made Bacon Cheddar Muffins to go with. This was a nice, filling dinner.

I have been trying to find a good corn chowder recipe and I happened to think this one sounded the best. As it turns out, this soup was absolutely excellent. I have never made corn chowder before but I have eaten a lot and I would rate this as one of the best I have had. I did change the recipe a bit by adding garlic in with the onion and celery and using cream instead of milk and omitting the flour. Also, next time I will brown the bacon all the way before adding the veggies. However, all in all this recipe was great. Thank you so much!!!

Yummy!!! In reading the reviews and then the recipe again, it calls for 4 cups of broth = 2 CANS... Before catching this, I used 3 cans! I also used the frozen corn as others stated as well as half & half instead of milk. I added the flour to the half & half to thicken it too. Next time I will use all yellow frozen corn, the white made it a bit too sweet and I will double the celery. Usually not fond of cooked celery, but it was excellent in this soup. Everyone loved it, thanks for the great recipe!

Ok so following many others I did what was suggested. I browned my bacon first, then removed from pot and saved for the end. I then browned my onions and celery also using a few dashes of garlic powder(or fresh if on hand). I then added my stock after about five minutes and then proceeded with the potatoes and carrots and a can of creamed corn, I let this boil for a bit and another burner warmed up about a cup and a half of half n half. Once I added my cream I then added about a cup of frozen corn as I think it has a much better flavour than canned. And to thicken I did not use a roux but instead keep these perfect little portioned packages of dehydrated mashed potatoes(the kind you would add your butter and milk too...) I find these are a much better thickener and have the yummy taste of potatoes as opposed of a floury taste. I seasoned with some crushed black pepper as it did not need salt. Perfect!!

I thought it tasted great. I used crumbled sausage instead of bacon and a can of cream of celery soup instead of celery. Very simple :)

Thank you for a delicious recipe. I made it today and I LOVE it. The only reason I changed anything was to make it vegetarian. I left out the bacon and used vegetable broth. I also cut the fat a bit for health reasons by using skim milk and light butter, leaving out the bacon helped with that too. Nutrition changed to 142 cal, 1.9g fat, 0 cholesterol, 4.82g Protein, 599mg sodium and 2.2g fiber. The soup came out very creamy, better than most I have had out at restaurants. Thanks again. :)

This was a good chowder. I would suggest to cook the bacon separatley and add it in right before serving, this way it doesn't get too rubbery. I sauteed the onion and celery first and then added the chicken broth. Then I added the potatoes and carrots. I only used 3 small potatoes and threw in a large red bell pepper. After the veggies were tender, I added the milk, then the flour mixture, then the corn. I used the canned cream corn and 2 cups of frozen white corn. I added dill weed and garlic powder. Served with garlic bread.

This is a great recipe! Very flavorful, creamy, and perfect consistency. I made it for a party of 100 people and they all loved it.

This is a great recipe...for all of you "health conscious" chefs, you can heat up your 2 cups of milk and whisk the 3 heaping Tbsps of flour into it before pouring it into your soup and the milk wont separate then and it's SUPER creamy still (I also used about 2 1/2 cups of broth instead of 4). Also I use ham instead of bacon...again quite a bit healthier.

Good flavors to this soup. Tastes better after it sits for a few hours.

My gang went nuts over this and when my future son-in-law calls something I make "gangster" I know it's amazing!! I made a roux instead of the paste by adding the flour to the bacon and vegie mixture. I also added some cayenne as my family likes things spiced up a bit and because I had it on hand I threw in a couple of cups of shredded cheddar. So delish and thank you!!

This chowder was just amazing! I basically followed the recipe, but added a small diced red pepper and a couple cloves minced garlic to the onion/celery saute. I used condensed milk (1 can)in lieu of the milk, added a Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme and garnished with the bacon and some chopped scallions. With only 3 of us eating, we each had 2 nice bowls with dinner and I was more than pleased to still have 3 servings left for the next day's lunch. Thank you Halle Hardin ~ and you to, Gramma Brown!

This came out quite good, after I changed a few things. First, I browned the bacon (I used Turkey Bacon - less fat!) in a large Dutch oven. After removing the bacon with a slotted spoon, I tossed in the onions with a bit of flour for about 2-3 minutes. I also added a few chilies (We love spicy food). Then I added carrots, bell peppers, celery and potatoes with the broth, and I also added some thyme and sage with the salt & pepper and simmered it for about 15 min until tender. Then I added diced ham, the creamed corn, and a can of peaches & cream corn for more extra corn flavour. As well, instead of milk, I added one can of evaporated milk. To make it thicker, I used a bit of soup base with cornstarch - works better than flour. Add the bacon last and heat through. It came out great!!!

It's pretty good for a rainy day.

excellent. only changes were that I substituted half of the milk for half and half (don't think both cups need to be half and half) and added an extra can of creamed corn-- as some said it wasn't creamy enough. used some leftover smoked bacon- and let it all sit on low for 3-4 hours after was cooked through, to blend soup. excellent. you could spice it up a bit with some peppers or spice- but I thought it was good as is. will definitely make again.

This was simple and easy to make, and tasted great. I cut the recipe in half and used one can of creamed corn and no whole kernel corn. I also left out the celery and just added a little celery salt.

Used turkey bacon, fried up pretty crisp and added during the last 15 minutes of cooking. 1 1/3 cups cream and 2/3 cup skim milk adds richness and a little extra flour for thickening made it very yummy!

This chowder is so darn good!! I have been looking for a great chowder and this is it! The bacon adds so much flavor. Like the others suggested I add the bacon crumbles at the end so they get less soft! Wonderful chowder!!

I really liked this recipe. It definitely allows you to season it up the way you want... was really bland for my family. I followed a reviewer's advise and used Hot Sauce/Buffalo Wing Sauce for flavoring right into the chowder. I froze some for later and can't wait for a cold blustery day to pull it out!

As is this is a 3 star in my book, just okay. I ended up adding a lot of spices and herbs, some cheeze, and an extra can of creamed corn and it was a lot more flavorful. But without these Im afraid its rather bland. With these additions, it is very yummy and will please the company and could be a 5 star.

And I give reviews 5 stars!!! So the changes in the reviews are absolutely right, sub cream or half and half for milk and never soak bacon for 45 minutes, you'll regret it. Personally, I leave the bacon out all together and fry the onion and a red pepper in olive oil. I probably add to many carrots too, but they are good for you :) Great start, just make it your own.

Excellent recipe! I only added an extra can of broth (3 instead of 2), probably because I added more potato than what the recipe called for. I also used corn starch w/ the milk, instead of the flour paste (personal preference), and an EXTRA large can of whole kernel corn. Everyone who tasted had rave reviews... Thank you for submitting recipe.

This gets 5 stars although I did not add the bacon (was cooking for a crowd who does not eat pork). I added a few drops of liquid smoke to the soup to give it some flavor it would miss by not having the bacon in it. It was AWESOME. Good recipe and I will make this again and use the bacon!

This was easy to make and quite tasty! Only small changes I made were to cook bacon first and add back in at the end and I used half and half instead of milk. Will make again for sure.

only 4 stars because i followed other's suggestions with using half and half instead of milk and adding the bacon at the very end and adding some garlic to the veggies in the beginning.

AMAZING!!!!!!!! The only thing I did different was instead of 2 Cups of milk, I used 1 Cup of 2% milk and 1 Cup of heavy cream........Delicious!!!

This was so yummy, even when using skim milk and turkey bacon. I also added cayenne pepper for an extra kick. Thank you!

Even the kids loved it.

I was amazed at how easy this recipe was to make. It was the first chowder I've made. I did make some changes, based on the reviews, though. I cooked the bacon and then put it aside, to be used as a garnish later. I used the bacon fat to cook the chowder and keep the flavor. Then I used half-and-half instead of the milk. It turned out nice and creamy...perfect for a cold Texas night.

I picked this recipe( never made a corn chowder before) since it seemed like the easiest one that I could play around with. I learned a couple of things while doing so: 1) I love spicy foods so I thought it wouldn't hurt to add a pinch of chilli powder, but I would not recommend it; it overwhelms and doesn't match with the soup. 2)Water was fine in lieu of broth, but if you use the liquid in the cans, cut it down from 4 to 2 c. 30I only had regular corn, no creamed style, and it was still fine. 4)If you do puree it, don't add the carrots; the carrot flavor dominates then. 5)I used milk and it was fine. 6) Omitting the bacon and sauteeing in a little oil is still great 6)Next time, I'll try it without the butter.

First time I ever made any kind of chowder and it came out absolutely wonderful, thanks so much!!! Will make this again & again & again..... So easy, quick, and delicious!!! Definitely a keeper.

Delicious. I too cooked the bacon and set it aside for later as a garnish and used half cream and half milk instead of all milk. I still used the bacon grease to cook the celery and carrots. I would say it could use another can of corn, or better yet, frozen corn. Another thing I would say it needs is more kick, or spice. I added paprika, garlic salt, chile powder and a bit of season salt.

This is the chowder my grandmother made. I remember hear making this in her farm kitchen in New England in the mid 1900s.

Excellent corn chowder. I suggest stir-frying the onion, celery in the margarine while the bacon is cooking and then adding the chopped vegetables, broth and bacon to it. I prefer to fry the bacon and then let it cool on a paper towel to get rid of as much fat as possible. This is a soup that we will be having again. Thank you for the recipe, Halle.

Fantastic! Added a little shredded cheddar for garnish.

Outstanding flavor, I added chicken and it was wonderful. Great rainy day choice. Nice and thick, very filling

One of my new favorite chowders. Excellent!

I read the reviews of this recipe and the suggestion to set aside the bacon until the end is bang on. I threw in an extra cup of frozen corn, and thought it was great. Even better the next day.

Excellent! I had to use a combination of diced ham and real bacon pieces for the bacon, but it was still flavorful. I also used half evaporated milk and half regular milk, and cornstarch (4 Tb. mixed into some of the milk) in place of flour for my gluten-free daughter. I do recommend using low-sodium corn and holding the salt until the end, because there are a lot of salty ingredients and it is hard to adjust. I am not a fan of celery, but I think the celery in this gives a wonderful taste. And COLBY CHEESE-- not cheddar-- puts it over the top for a rich elegant variation! This will be my new standard chowder.

This is a great recipe- relatively quick to make and with great flavor.

This is wonderfully full-flavored! My husband couldn't believe how much he loved it; I made the recipe exactly as-is, and the two of us finished it off in three days (10 servings!). A wonderful winter dinner. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

Great recipe! I changed a couple of minor things. I fried the bacon and removed before sauteing the vegetables. I used the crumbled bacon on top when serving. I also added some cooked diced chicken to "beef" it up a little for the family.

We loved this one. The only change I made was using half and half instead of milk simply because we had it and it had to be used. It was superb and I would do it the same way again.

This was a good recipe, but it tasted too canned. I think next time, I will omit the canned corn and replace with fresh or frozen.

I made a few changes.....I didn't have any broth so I used chix bouillon.I also had a hard time getting it to thick'n up.It tasted really good,but not sure if I will use this recipe again!

I used one more can of corn than called for, and heavy cream instead of milk, b/c I like a thicker chowder. This is a great recipe for cold days, too!!

Came out good . I also took the bacon out and used to garnish individual servings . My wife even enjoyed it . She told me she does not like corn chowder .she sure did eat a lot of it for not likening it. I will make this dish again .

I pretty much follow the recipe for this, it is very good as written! Over time, I’ve made it my own by putting all ingredients in the crockpot (except the milk) and adding 3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs. I set the crockpot on high for 4 hours, then remove and shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Then I add (I use evaporated)milk and flour mixture. In place of salt and pepper, I use Morton Season Blend and a Tuscan herb blend. I like to make this in early fall and freeze the leftovers—it makes a hardy winter meal served with biscuits.

Amazing! Added cayenne pepper and sharp cheddar cheese in the last 10 min! Also used homemade chicken stock! Great flavor!

This chowder was hearty, but not very flavorful. It was fairly quick and easy, but I think it could use some spicing up.

I doubled the recipe to accomodate my family, and got rave reviews. I was equally impressed. This is definitely a keeper. Loved it.

This recipe is very good. I did make a few changes. I put in 2 cans of cream corn. I had some cooked cobs of corn, so I used the corn off the cobs instead of the cans of kernel corn. I used some salt pork broth instead of the chicken broth just because I had it & I used 2 cans of low-fat canned milk. There was no need to use the butter & flour as the soup was just the right thickness.

I have never had corn chowder before but this was awesome!!! We loved this!!! I followed the recipe to the letter but added 4oz velveeta cheese about 10 min before completion. I didn't want the cheese to take away from the rest of the soup but THIS WAS GREAT!! Will make this again!! Very hearty stuff! Thanks Gramma Brown and Halle too!

Extra Bacon Garlic Salt Sweet Baby Carrots

Try looking at food network, there is a simalar recipe on there by Ina Garten. This one is a little lacking in good direction! I loved the idea of a previous reviewers idea about making a roux instead of the flour slury! The chowder is very good!!!!! DO NOT ADD BACON UNTIL THE END OR IT WILL GET SOGY! I love this site, but trust me, look at the Ina Garten one and compare notes!

I have been searching for a good Corn Chowder, this is the best! I did replaced the canned corn with frozen, and used a pound of bacon, this was the best chowder! I will be using this recipe from now on....THANKS!

I have made a version of this recipe for years using sausage instead of bacon and using cream instead of the rue. My whole family loves it. Also have made a quickie version using frozen O'Brian potatoes with peppers and onions, works great and tastes great.

My son came home on leave and said he wanted me to make corn chowder, he had tasted it at a friends house up in Washington State, I had never made it before, but thought this recipe looked like something our family would like. We LOVED it!!! I made some little changes, I used half and half and I cooked the bacon in the oven, added the crumbled bacon to the soup and as a garnishment. I sprinkled the bacon ontop of some grated cheddar cheese, right before I served it. With some french bread it was a really great dish.

This stuff is awesome!!!

My husband loved this chowder. I made a few changes, I used 1 pound of bacon, added a couple cloves of garlic, and seasoned with red pepper flakes and white pepper. I also used corstarch to thicken the stew instead of the flour mixture. All the changes I made were really just for personal preference. I'm sure the chowder would be just as excellent in its original recipe! Thanks for sharing your recipe!

This was really good. I was looking for something quick and easy for a cold Sunday lunch and this hit the spot!! I changed the recipe a small bit, I added smoked sausage instead of bacon because that was what I had and my pot was too full so I couldn't add the milk, but you wouldn't know it should have been there, it was fabulous, oh and I added an extra can of kernel corn. GREAT RECIPE!!!

Good recipe; split this in half and still had more than enough. As suggested by someone else, drained off the bacon prior to browing the onions. Sub's I made: didn't have cream-style corn, chicken broth, or milk; added extra frozen corn, used water with leftover roasted chicken, and used a can of cream of chicken soup for the creamy/thicking agent. Needed quite a bit of pepper, red pepper, no salt, used a little nutritional yeast too. All in all, with my revisions, really good.

Very easy - I did add some spices, whatever I had on hand. I made a chicken pot pie with the leftovers. I added some shredded rotisserie chicken and stuck it between two rolled pie crusts. Easy and super yummy!

Awesome! Don't want extra fat? You can use skim milk and then a potato - not half and half - to thicken. Boil one extra potato, puree, add in broth until it creates a slurry. Add to soup as thickener. Reserve the bacon for a topping - consider adding chopped green onion for a topping, too. Kids like to add shredded cheddar cheese as third garnish. I still use flour and otherwise follow the recipe. Very wonderful and filling.

Best corn chowder I've ever made. I used equal amounts of carrots celery and onion, probably 1 1/4 cups. Used fresh frozen corn about 2 cups or more (I like corn). Added velveta like others suggested. Took it to work and received comments like "fantastic." Thanks Halle and Gamma !!

My apologies to everyone who doesn't read the reviews... my rating is definitely based on cooking the bacon first and setting it aside until the rest of the soup is ready. I too fried the bacon in my pot and left the fat instead of adding butter. VERY TASTY.

It tasted great, and was easy to make.

I, too, made a roux by adding 1/4 cup of flour to 1/2 of the bacon drippings. I added 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes & 4 slices deli honey ham, diced. I also drained the bacon after cooking & added it as a garnish to keep it's crunchiness. After all that it was a really delicious soup!

My husband who doesn't usually care for corn chowder loved this! And so did my three children!!! Will definitely make again -- soon.

Great taste and good presentation to serve to company. I added lots of pepper to give it some zip.

Pretty good after I made some adjustments according to other reviews. I removed the bacon to add as garnish later, subbed half and half for milk and added a few drops of tobasco for extra kick. I also hit it with my immersion blender to get that super smooth texture and added some leftover roasted corn at the very end. It's tasty, but doesn't have as much corn flavor as I would like. Next time, I'll cut down the potatoes and increase the corn.

This was my first time making any kind of chowder. The recipe was easy to follow and turned out great. I would have found a little more guidance with the flour at the end helpful. We had these dumpling-like things in the chowder from the flour but they were not bad tasting. I just think that I must not have done it all the way right. Oh and, I will save the bacon for the top next time. It lost some the favor and texture that I love about bacon. Other than those two things, the chowder is absolutely delicious and we will be making it again.

So very good! I did take the advise and used frozen corn instead of canned and I'm glad I did. Other than that I followed the recipe to a "T" and it turned out great. No muss, no fuss. Easy weeknight meal in no time! New Family Fav.

I love this recipe..added a dash of tabasco....used half and half...used fresh corn off the cob for the kernals...and used my crockpot. Thanks!!

First, to the reviewer who left out the celery and bacon, and complained about seasoning.... you need BOTH in this soup. (AND celery in EVERY soup) I added a bay leaf, simmered it for much longer than called for here, and it was a great basic recipe. I will probably tweak it a bit next time, but very good!

Made a few changes. Used turkey bacon, fat free broth, skim milk, and corn starch to cut down on the calories. Added oregano, rosemary, a bay leaf, and lots of pepper while cooking. With all the revisions, came out great!

I have another corn chowder recipe; this one is as good as the old one. I used half and half instead of milk. 11/2007

Yum! Gramma Brown makes a mean chowder! The only changes I made wre to double the cream corn and use cornstarch instead of flour. This was very flavorable and tasted yummy with the cheddar bay biscuits from this site!

My family loved this, I followed other suggestions and used evaporated milk and left out the butter. I also added my own twists and used fresh sweet corn (4 ears) and added 2 small salmon fillets (no skin, cut into chunks), and it added a great layer of flavor.

Loved it! I will make it again. Enjoyed knowing I had the health of some vegetables, some some "man" heartiness with thickness and the bacon (and I added diced chicken). Very filling, didn't need more than one bowl. Followed others suggestions of half and half instead of straight milk (although milk would be the healthier option). Muy bien!

Great soup, but I made a few changes per other user's suggestions: Used 2 cans regular corn - will try frozen next time. Added 3 cooked/cubed chicken breasts. Used half and half instead of milk, but I still thickened it quite a bit with a flour/water mixture and even added 1 can cream of chicken. With added changes, this is fantastic! My family gobbled it up and it was the first to go at a soup pot luck.

Good corn chowder. After cooking the bacon, remove from pan, crumble and reserve till the end to put it back in the soup. I also added garlic to the onion and celery and used creme instead of milk and omitted flour. I added chopped chicken and a cup of cheddar cheese. Yum!!

This was just okay for me. My family loved it, but I thought it was rather bland. I took the advice of others and saved the bacon until the end and used frozen corn rather than canned. Maybe if I make it again I will add some spices or something, I dunno. Just 'eh' for me.

Wonderful!!!!!!! wonderful is the key word to this recipe... thank you.. :)

Nice soup on a cold, windy day! I left out the celery and sauted the onion and a few tablespoons of garlic in the bacon drippings. I added some extra flour/water because I prefer a thicker soup. It's definitely good though I might try a different chowder recipe next time.

Most of the people I served this to LOVED it. Sadly, my main audience was my daughter who thought it was too sweet. I need a recipe without creamed corn.

Just made this yesterday and it was very yummy! I read the reviews before making and did remove the crisp bacon and then served on top as garnish. I also substituted half & half for milk. Additionally, I added some shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make it more of a meal. Chowder came out delicious and I will definitely make this again.

I thought this soup was wonderful. I did however make some changes to suit our tastes. I only used one onion as we are not big onion people. I added a can of green chiles and 1/2 tsp. of red pepper, didn't think any additional salt was necessary. I used frozen corn as suggested by previous reviewers and ended up using a little over 2 cups. I also used 3T. flour to get to desired thickness. We topped it with a Mexican 4 cheese blend, diced jalapenos, avocado, and cilantro.

My family loved this. I fried the bacon first then kept it out till last. I also added an extra can of whole kernel corn. Due to milk sensitivities I used only 3/4 cup of milk but increased the broth and flour to compensate for the liquid. Great flavor, will definitely make again.

This was a good recipe. I used velveeta cheese to thicken the soup and give it a little cheesy taste instead of flour.

Good basic recipe. Just used 5 strips bacon and used fat free half and half for the milk. Mashed up some of the potatoes and because of gluten issues used corn starch to thicken. Also, used chicken stock, more robust flavor than just using broth. Added a few red pepper flakes to give it some kick and lots of fresh ground pepper. Family loved it.

I have never had corn chowder before but this was awesome!!! We loved this!!! I followed the recipe to the letter but added 4oz velveeta cheese about 10 min before completion. I didn't want the cheese to take away from the rest of the soup but THIS WAS GREAT!! Will make this again!! Very hearty stuff! Thanks Gramma Brown and Halle too!

Ok. Good not great. Might have been better with fresh corn.

Just a comment, not a review - 'cuz I haven't made it yet: I think this would be wonderful with diced green chilis instead of celery. (Nothing against celery, just don't think they'd go well together.)

Really good. The entire time he ate hubby kept saying how good it was.:) Changes made-fried bacon, crumbled and saved to put on top of the chowder after it was done. Also used lots of black pepper and red pepper flakes to give it a kick.

We really enjoyed this soup. I've had a tried and tested corn chowder that I've used for years so I was rluctant to try a new one. I am so pleased that I gave this a try. I tink the secret is to cook the vegetables with the cream corn. At first I thought that was a missprint but it is the secret. We found it thick enough so didn't have to add flour paste. Give this a try , you won't be disappointed.

Yum! I'm a vegetarian, so I just served bacon on the side. This is a definite make again recipe!