Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder
This Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder post was sponsored by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture through Kitchen PLAY.
This Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder includes a secret ingredient – roasted New Mexico green chile! A bowl of this chowder is perfect for autumn evenings.
Most folks don’t realize it, but there is actually a lot of farmland in New York state. I’ll be the first to admit that I knew nothing about New York state when Laura got a job up here 10 years ago. Sure, I knew about the city, but I didn’t know much at all about the state. We live in the Capital Region of New York, and with a population of 1.2 million, this area is certainly considered metropolitan. However, a quick 10-minute drive from my house will put me in the middle of a corn field or a dairy farm.
“Knee high by the 4th of July.” This is an old farmer’s adage that is used to predict the quality of a corn crop. If the corn is knee-high by Independence Day, then it’s a good sign for a high-yielding crop. Thanks to advances in agriculture, Midwestern farmers now say “as high as an elephant’s eye by the 4th of July.” However, here in New York, farmers are quite happy to see knee-high corn at the beginning of July.
Corn is actually the 3rd highest grossing agricultural crop here in New York…ranking even ahead of apples (#4)! As soon as local corn starts appearing at farm stands and in grocery stores, we buy as much as we can possibly eat. We’ll eat a bunch just boiled (or boiled then grilled!), but we also use that corn in a variety of recipes, too. This Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder is one heck of a tasty recipe – and it’s perfect for all of that farm fresh corn!
New Mexico Green Chile
New Mexico Green ChileWhile this Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder is delicious in its own right, I decided to put a Southwestern spin on this classic New England dish. I’ve partnered with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to highlight the New Mexico green chile (commonly referred to as Hatch green chile). Green chile harvest season in New Mexico runs from late summer into early fall. It might be an incredibly short season, but the culinary excitement around the New Mexico green chile lasts all year long.
Some of our good friends lived in New Mexico for several years, and they’ve told us stories about going to farmer’s markets or even the local grocery store and finding huge barrels standing ready for roasting green chile. I haven’t had the chance to see this for myself yet, but it’s definitely on Laura and my “foodie bucket list.” Chile roasting season in New Mexico is a huge celebration. There are festivals a-plenty, and I hear the smell of roasted green chile can be found up and down the Rio Grande valley.
So, what makes New Mexico green chile different? I mean different types of chile can be grown in every state. Heck, you can even take the seeds from some of the most popular varieties of New Mexico green chile and grow them in other states. But they won’t taste the same. Similar to how wine grapes grown in France will taste different from wine grapes grown in California, green chile tastes different based on where it was grown.
The weather in New Mexico is uniquely ideal for growing green chile – you’ve got extremely hot summer temperatures combined with abundant sunshine and dry conditions. All of this stress on the chile plant actually leads to increased flavor. What’s more, the New Mexico green chile is a superfood. Just one chile contains more Vitamin C than 6 oranges!
Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder
Slow Cooker New England Corn ChowderWhile we might not be able to find roasting barrels for green chile here in upstate New York, we are fortunate enough to find New Mexico green chile on occasion. Roasting them is quite easy, and I roasted up a whole batch for this chowder in just a few minutes. In fact, you can roast green chile, remove the seeds + stem, chop ’em up and then freeze them for use later in the year. After all, the harvest season is short, so you have to take advantage of it when you can!
I used those roasted green chile as a way to enhance the flavor of this Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder. I know chowder might seem a bit odd during the dog days of summer, but the chilly nights are actually not that far away for us here in New York. I’m telling you that a bowl of this chowder is amazing on a cool evening! If cool evenings are still a long way off for you, then just store the roasted green chile in the freezer until the temperatures turn. I hear folks in New Mexico fill entire freezers with roasted green chile to use throughout the winter!
I can’t recommend this Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder enough! The roasted green chile adds an extra layer of flavor that keeps you going back for more. Do you have family favorite recipes that might benefit from the addition of roasted green chile? Think beyond enchiladas and burritos – although those are indeed delicious! What about mixing roasted green chile into your pizza sauce? Or perhaps stirring a couple spoonfuls into a batch of cheesy grits? (YUM!) And I think a Cajun gumbo would be a great place to add roasted green chile flavor.
No matter the recipe, take advantage of this time of the year. Roasting season is short, so grab those New Mexico green chile if you see them in stores. They’re a versatile ingredient that freeze quite well – perfect for the Autumn nights that are coming soon. Cheers and enjoy!
Did you make a batch of this Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (@TasteTheTradition) on Instagram. We’d love to see your version!
Slow Cooker New England Corn Chowder
Ingredients
For the Chowder
- 14-15 New Mexico green chile peppers
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled
- 6 cups corn ~10 ears fresh corn, but can use frozen
- 2 medium russet potato peeled and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- {optional} fresh chives chopped
For the Green Chile Sauce
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
For the Chowder
- Preheat broiler to high heat.
- Place half of the chile on a large baking sheet. Broil until skins are charred. Flip chile over and continue broiling until both sides are charred.
- Remove from oven and place chile in a large bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Repeat process with remaining half of chile.
- Remove stems, skins and seeds from chile; chop remaining portions. Place ~½ of the chopped chile into the slow cooker. Set the other ½ aside to use for the Green Chile Sauce.
- Meanwhile, using a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy; crumble bacon into a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
- If using fresh corn, slice kernels from cob using a sharp knife. Using the back of the knife, scrape the cobs to remove pulp and milky liquid. Transfer this liquid and the corn into the slow cooker.
- Add diced potatoes, onions, celery, garlic, salt, onion powder, thyme, pepper and chicken stock; stir until well combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
- Remove half of chowder from slow cooker and set aside. Using an immersion blender, puree the remaining half of the chowder in the slow cooker. Return the reserved chowder back to the slow cooker and add heavy whipping cream; stir until well combined.
For the Green Chile Sauce
- Using a medium saucepan, place over medium heat. Once hot, add vegetable oil and diced onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add flour, stir and continue sautéing for 1-2 more minutes.
- Add reserved chopped chile (from above), chicken stock, salt and cumin; stir until well combined.
- Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Before serving, stir 1-2 spoonfuls of sauce into each bowl.
- {Optional} Sprinkle top of each bowl with chopped chives.
Looking for more soups and stews? Check out these other favorites, too:
How cute are these bread bowls filled with creamy chowder! Reminds me of the bread bowls we had at Boudin in San Fran! Btw – have y’all tried Boudin’s bread rolls?? If not a definite contender for that foodie bucket list! BTW, Now I’m adding Chile roasting season in New Mexico to my foodie bucket list too!
I didn’t realize y’all are only 10 minutes from Farmland… where we live currently that’s the situation as well- but am hoping to live 10 minutes from the ultimate “farmland” the Dekalb Farmers Market! 🙂
Hoping y’all have a fantastic weekend!
So I can’t say I’ve tried Boudin’s bread rolls yet. However, I do have a Boudin cookbook, so I’ll have to see if their roll recipe is in there. It’s on the list now! And, yes, I’m with ya on the chile roasting season…let’s make a trip out, ok? 🙂
These look delicious! I love Hatch Green Chilies, so I know I’ll love this recipe! Pinning to try it ASAP, thanks for sharing!
Yes! Definitely put this one on the list to make, Lauren. The corn chowder is quite tasty by itself, but once you add in that extra layer of flavor from the green chile, the chowder just takes off to a whole new level! 🙂
What a brilliant combination of two great summer specialties. I’ve been to NM during the chile harvest and the smell of the roasting chiles is amazing! I can just imagine the taste it would add to corn chowder! Yum!
Oh man, I am SO jealous that you’ve been to New Mexico during chile harvest season. That’s seriously on my foodie bucket list. And this corn chowder is fantastic. I highly (!!) recommend making a batch using local corn. There’s so much flavor packed in each bite!
I had no idea about the farmland in New York either! Well, there you go – I learnt something new (as I frequently do from your posts!)
I love the sound of this chowder and the way you have served it is fabulous!!!
Yup, New York actually has quite a lot of farmland. Most folks (myself included before we moved up here) assume New York is just the city. However, the state is huge, and there’s a lot of farming and agriculture up here. Local corn is one of my favorites…and this chowder? Delicious! Thanks so much, Alex!
I can guarantee you that when it is corn season in New England that you will find lots of corn chowder being made all summer long. They don’t wait for cool weather and neither would I to enjoy a bowl of your chowder.
Exactly! Corn chowder is one of my favorites, and we’re just coming into local corn season here in upstate New York. Add in the extra layer of flavor from the roasted chile, and you’ve got one heck of a tasty meal. Thanks, Karen!
Sounds delicious, David. And I had no idea that New York grew so much corn. (And I’m a New Yorker by birth.)
Corn chowder always reminds me of the time I made it for some Italian friends back in Rome. They where highly skeptical at first—I don’t know if you’d heard but in Italy (and Europe in general I understand) fresh corn off or on the cob is considered animal fodder and not fit for human consumption. But once they tried it, they loved it. It was a great feeling to have convinced them to overcome those culinary prejudices.
Yes! New York actually has a ton of farmland, and a lot of it is dedicated to corn. Now I’ve learned that a lot of corn grown here goes to feed cattle…I guess it’s a lot like the Italian corn you mentioned. However, we still get plenty of delicious corn at roadside stands and grocery stores. Corn chowder is a classic dish this time of year! And the roasted green chile adds such a fun layer of flavor in there, too. Thanks, Frank!
I love making corn chowder. It’s not overly popular here, but since having it in a restaurant when I visited the U.S. many years ago, I have to make it for Lynne and I every now and then. I love the twist with this slow cooker version. Interesting about the farmland in New York! Hope you guys are doing well and have an amazing week!
Corn chowder is one of my favorite recipes this time of year. And the fact that fresh corn season here in New York intersects with green chile harvest season is quite fortunate. The green chile flavor in this corn chowder is fantastic! I don’t know if you’d be able to find fresh green chile over there, but I’m certain you can order jarred versions. I highly recommend picking some up for the next time you make corn chowder! Thanks, Neil!
That’s so interesting! I never would have anything out-grosses apples in NY! And I had no idea so much corn is grown there! And I LOVE corn chowder so this is definitely a must-try for me!
Tell me about it! New York grows a lot (!) of apples, but apparently there’s even more corn. Perhaps it’s because apple orchards are plentiful, but most are small. The corn fields stretch as far as the eye can see! I highly recommend this recipe, Kelsie…and make sure to add the roasted green chile. It’s a really tasty twist on this classic dish. 🙂
We love corn. In all possible ways. I must admit we always have a few cans of corn in our pantry. We have already tried ‘new-crop corn’, or at least as it was declared, twice this summer, but both times it was a disappointment – you know this kind of dry, tasteless, and starchy corn? I bet it wasn’t cultivated in New York! 🙂
Anyway, this chowder looks dreamy. Andrew isn’t a huge fan of corn in a chowder, but to me, the combination of potatoes, corn, and all this creamy situation (not to mention the bacon part) is delicious – that’s a gradual transition from light summer meals to comfort fall food.
Yes, I sadly know the exact corn you are talking about. Starchy and tasteless. We’ve had decent luck so far this season with local corn, but you’ve just gotta wait. If you jump in too early, you’re likely to get the bland kind. Either way, this time of the year is perfect for corn, and adding the roasted green chile in this takes it to a whole new level!
The first memory that your post invoked was of eating clam chowder in sourdough bowls at Ivars Seafood in Seattle. The second was that fine looking pepper and then your post reminded me of my many drive through upper New York and how wonderfully rural it was. Thanks for the memories and a great recipe.
Man I wish I could get New Mexico green peppers over this way. They look incredibly good. We used to buy them by the busel and roast them and then can and freeze them. Closest we get now is a hungerian green pepper which just ain’t the same. Enjoy some for me.
Upper New York really is quite rural. I’ve driven out to the western part of the state on a number of occasions, and there really are vast sections of the state devoted to farmland. It’s actually quite beautiful!
I really wish you could get New Mexico green chile peppers over there, too. I know you can buy jarred versions on Amazon. I’ve used those in the past, and they’re tasty. I seem to remember you saying your corn isn’t quite the same either. Guess you’ll just need to make a trip back to the States, huh?
Love the southwestern spin on corn chowder, David! The presentation in the bread bowls is just perfect too! And I wouldn’t have thought there’s so much farmland in NY.
Don’t you just love soup/chowder in a bread bowl? And that bread is SO good once you finish the chowder itself. The southwestern flavor in this corn chowder is insanely tasty. I highly recommend it, Michelle! Thanks! 🙂
Too funny – we’re on the same wavelength with corn chowder. Yours look so perfectly spicy and creamy, David. Love the idea of serving it in bread bowls – totally irresistible!
We’re definitely on the same wavelength, Marissa! It makes sense, though. Farm fresh corn is perfect this time of the year. Gotta enjoy it while we can, right? 🙂
I sort of know that was the fact since I saw them in several movies, at first I was surprised when they put the caption that the place was from New York, I was like, I thought the whole thing look like Manhattan 🙂
BTW I love chowders regardless of variety, I consider them one of my comfort meals specially when they are served in bread bowl, Yum!
Exactly! Before we moved up here, I just assumed New York state was more or less like the city – lots of buildings and high-rises. Not at all! There is actually a ton of farmland up in our area. (We’re 3 hours by car from NYC.) I highly recommend this recipe, Raymund. It’s a favorite every summer here when the corn is fresh, and the southwestern twist was a fun version this time. In fact, I’ll probably be making it this way every time from now on!
Yum. corn and hatch chile peppers is a match made in heaven. and so is your chowder and the bread bowl. Outstanding!
Yes! This flavor combo really is amazing, Mimi. I’m totally making my corn chowder with New Mexico green chile every time now. And the bread bowl? That’s a given, too! 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend!
What a great spin on corn chowder. Summer sweet corn is so awesome. I’ve never had a corn chowder with a spicy chile in it. It sounds great! I love that you served in it bread bowls.
You should absolutely try this corn chowder, Jeff! Corn season is hitting its stride (at least here in NY…I assume it’s probably the same for you in Michigan/Illinois), and the extra layer of flavor from the chile is amazing. And like most soups/chowders, this one tastes better the next day…if there are any leftovers!
i had no idea that new york state had a lot of agriculture david. very interesting. i love corn chowder and i reckon a bit of chilli in it would be veeerryy tasty indeed.
Yup, New York state is actually quite large. Of course everyone knows the city, but it’s down at the southern tip of the state. The rest of the state has quite a bit of fields and agriculture. Corn is plentiful around here these days, and this corn chowder (+ chile) is definitely a recipe worth making!
chilli as in the spicy little devils not the stew-like stuff 🙂
Haha! Yes, I caught your drift there, my friend. It can get confusing, right??