This bacon corn chowder is a creamy, smoky bowl of comfort built on a decades-old family recipe, with one change: I grill the corn before it goes into the pot. That extra char turns a good chowder into one people ask for by name.
If your corn chowder tastes like it came from a can, this recipe fixes that.
This is my mom’s corn chowder recipe, made every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. As all of us kids grew up and started our own families, the tradition never changed. We still make this every year.
But as a girl who loves to grill, I made a slight change to mom’s recipe. I fire up the grill for the corn instead of boiling it. It’s a small change that adds real smoky depth without touching the parts of the recipe that make it taste like home.
GCG Pro Tip: If you like the smoky flavor grilled corn brings to this chowder, you'll also want to try it in my [link to related grilled corn recipe/category]. Charring corn on the grill is one of the easiest ways to add depth to any dish.
What Is Bacon Corn Chowder
Bacon corn chowder is a thick, creamy soup built around sweet corn, potatoes and bacon in a milk-based broth. Traditional versions use boiled or fresh corn kernels. This version grills the corn first, which caramelizes the sugars and adds a smoky char you can’t get any other way. The bacon drippings, sautéed onion and celery, and a simple roux round out the base into something rich enough to serve as a full meal.
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Cook Potatoes: Place diced potatoes in a large soup pot. Cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring water to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain out the water and set the potatoes aside in a bowl.
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Grill Corn: Heat grill to high heat (400-425F). Brush the corn with olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Grill corn for 10 minutes rotating often to char all sides. Remove from grill, cut off kernels and set aside with the potatoes.
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Prepare Aromatics: In the same soup pot, brown the bacon over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Leave the bacon and drippings in the pot and add the onions and celery. Sauté over medium heat until tender, 3 minutes.
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Make Roux: Add the flour to the pot and cook on low for 3 minutes.
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Build Soup: Add in the milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cooked potatoes, grilled corn kernels and creamed corn.
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Simmer: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer until ready to serve.
No grill? Use 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels instead of grilled corn.
Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 451mgPotassium: 545mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 303IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 169mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What you’ll need
- Russet Potato: Labeled as an “Idaho potato” at most grocery stores, this is the high-starch variety that breaks down into a creamy texture as it cooks.
- Corn: I grill mine for that smoky char, but you can also use 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels, just make sure frozen corn is fully thawed first.
- Olive Oil: Just enough to brush the corn before it hits the grill.
- Bacon: Diced before cooking so it renders evenly and gives you small, crispy bites throughout the chowder. Save some cooked bacon for garnish.
- Onion: Diced and sautéed in the bacon drippings for flavor.
- Celery: Diced along with the onion for the aromatic base. Save some celery leaves for garnish.
- Flour: Used to build a quick roux that thickens the chowder.
- Milk: The base of the broth.
- Creamed Corn: Stirred in for extra body and sweetness.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: For seasoning throughout, plus a final adjustment to taste.
Substitutions: No grill? Skip the char and use 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels instead. That's how mom makes it.
See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to cook Bacon Corn Chowder
Start by getting your grill up to high heat, 400 to 425F, for the corn. While the grill heats, you’ll also get a pot of water going for the potatoes, so both can cook at the same time.
Step 1: Cook the Potatoes
Place the diced potatoes in a large soup pot. Cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and set the potatoes aside in a bowl.
Step 2: Grill the Corn
Heat your grill to high heat, 400-425F. Brush the corn with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Grill for 10 minutes, rotating often so all sides char. Remove from the grill, cut the kernels off the cob and set them aside with the potatoes.
GCG Pro Tip: Don't move the corn too often. Let each side sit long enough to actually blacken in spots before rotating. That's where the smoky flavor comes from.
Step 3: Prepare the Aromatics
In the same soup pot as the potatoes, brown the diced bacon over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Remove a few of the bacon bits from the pot to use as a garnish.
Leave the bacon and drippings in the pot and add the onion and celery. Sauté over medium heat until tender, about 3 minutes.
Step 4: Make the Roux
Add the flour to the pot and cook on low for 3 minutes, stirring often. You want the flour to brown slightly to cook off the raw flour flavor.
Step 5: Build the Soup
Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cooked potatoes, grilled corn kernels and whole can of creamed corn. Save some of the grilled corn kernels for garnish.
Step 6: Simmer
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer until ready to serve. It will thicken as it cooks.
How to serve Bacon Corn Chowder
Ladle the chowder into bowls while it’s hot and top with crumbled bacon, a few extra grilled corn kernels and chopped celery leaves. A side of crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the broth. It also pairs well with a simple green salad if you want to round out the meal.
Storage
Let the chowder cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often, since a milk-based soup can break or curdle if it heats too fast. This chowder isn’t a great candidate for the freezer, as the dairy base tends to separate once thawed.
GCG Pro Pitmaster Tips
- Char the corn hard for real smoky flavor
- Don’t drain the bacon drippings
- Whisk the roux constantly, until the flour browns
- Reheat low and slow to avoid curdling
Frequently Asked Questions
Bacon corn chowder is made by cooking potatoes, grilling corn, browning bacon and sautéing onion and celery in the drippings, then building a roux-thickened milk base with creamed corn stirred in.
Yes, use 1 cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels instead of grilled corn.
It’s not recommended. The milk-based broth tends to separate once thawed, so this chowder is best eaten within a few days of making it.
A Russet potato, often labeled Idaho potato at the store, works well because its high starch content breaks down into a creamy texture as it cooks.
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