If you're looking for a creamy, savory, and hearty bowl of soup that will warm you from head to toe, look no further than oyster chowder. This classic New England dish is made with fresh oysters, diced potatoes, celery, onions, and a flavorful broth. It's often served with oyster crackers or crusty bread, and it's the perfect meal for a cold winter day. But not all oyster chowders are created equal. Some are bland and watery, while others are too thick and pasty. The secret to making the best oyster chowder ever is to use fresh, high-quality ingredients and to cook it slowly and carefully. With a little effort, you can create a bowl of chowder that will have your friends and family begging for more.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
OYSTER CHOWDER
I love making soups and stews because once you know the technique, it gives you the liberty to build your own flavors!
Provided by Kelsey Nixon
Categories main-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter, followed by the celery and leeks. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but are not browning, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the wine to the vegetables and let reduce by half. Add the potatoes and stir to combine. Add the clam juice, 1 cup water and the reserved oyster liquor. The potatoes will soak up some of the saltiness of the oysters and their liquor, giving them great flavor. Bring to a simmer, cover and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
- Remove 1 1/2 cups of the soup, blend until smooth in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. Stir in the half-and-half and seafood seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer before adding the oysters. Cook just until the oysters begin to curl, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and garnish with parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.
OYSTER CHOWDER
This oyster chowder was one of Amanda Hesser's grandmother's standbys, a recipe untouched over generations and passed along to The Times in 2005. If you have oysters, the rest is fairly straight-forward: Bacon adds smokiness, while milk and potatoes lend creaminess. And, as if that weren't appealing enough, the whole thing is ready in 30 minutes or less.
Provided by Amanda Hesser
Categories dinner, easy, quick, soups and stews, appetizer, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Spread bacon in a soup pan and place over medium heat. Cook until browned and its fat has rendered. Drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat and put pan back on the heat. Scrape the onion and celery into the pan and saute until softened. Drop in the potatoes. Add enough water to cover, about 3 cups. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat and, using a masher, lightly crush the potatoes to thicken the chowder. Add the oysters and oyster liquor and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Simmer until the oysters curl, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the milk (use 2/3 cup if you prefer it less rich), bring to a boil, then shut off the heat. Crumble in the bacon and stir in the parsley.
OYSTER CHOWDER
I grew up on Oyster "stew". I like to "create" new things and this is what I came up with. I fix this for myself only and so I made it how I like it, and this is the result. Hope you like it.
Provided by Jennifer Lewis
Categories Chowders
Time 25m
Yield 3 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a medium sauce pan, cut up the bacon into small pieces with scissors, cook bacon and leave only one tablespoon of bacon grease and put in the 2 tbsp of margarine and cubed potatoes and 1/4 cup of onion.
- Saute the potatoes and onion in the bacon and butter until becomes soft.
- Add the flour and stir, coating the potatoes and onion.
- Add the oyster and corn liquid and bring to a boil.
- After about 5 minutes, add the corn and oysters, salt and pepper, garlic and milk.
- Stirring constantly, lower the temperature and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Make sure that the potatoes are cooked thoroughly and if done add your parsley.
- VIOLA!
BEST OYSTER CHOWDER EVER
You can make an oyster chowder in the middle of the desert with this recipe and you will be in the middle of the ocean with delight.
Provided by Deborah Norris
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Chowders Corn Chowder Recipes
Time 40m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cook oysters and reserved liquid in a skillet over medium heat until edges curl, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
- Combine onion, potato, broccoli, water, and corn in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain vegetables and reserve liquid.
- Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Stir flour into melted butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly pour reserved vegetable water and milk into butter-flour mixture; cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add oysters and vegetables to milk mixture and cook over medium-low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 259.5 calories, Carbohydrate 24.9 g, Cholesterol 75.9 mg, Fat 12.5 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 12.6 g, SaturatedFat 7.1 g, Sodium 298.4 mg, Sugar 7.5 g
OYSTER CHOWDER
Enjoy this oyster chowder, rich with cream, potatoes, bacon and vegetables. Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes
Provided by Chuck Hughes
Categories Chowders
Time 1h15m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- For the soup:.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat and saute the potatoes, celery and onions. Add 6 cups water (1 1/2 liters) and the cream and season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved oyster juices and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are nice and tender, about 30 minutes.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Pass through a fine sieve if necessary.
- Stir in the butter and chives. Add the oysters just before serving to prevent them from overcooking. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
- For the bacon and vegetable garnish:.
- Brown the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the celery and onions and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the potato and cook for about 5 minutes.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and add the bacon and vegetable garnish. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with chervil.
OYSTER CHOWDER
Categories Soup/Stew Dairy Potato Quick & Easy Bacon Oyster Bon Appétit
Yield Serves 2, can be doubled
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Sauté bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer 1 tablespoon bacon to small bowl; reserve for garnish.
- Add leeks and thyme to pan; sauté until leeks begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in clam juice, half and half and reserved oyster juices. Add potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Add oysters; simmer, uncovered, until oysters are heated through and just firm, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle chowder into bowls. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve.
BEST SEAFOOD CHOWDER
My husband is an avid fisherman. When a family get-together was planned and we had to bring something, we created this recipe using fish from our freezer. The chowder got rave reviews from the relatives! -Heather Saunders, Belchertown, Massachusetts
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h
Yield 32 servings (8 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels; reserve drippings. Saute onions in drippings until tender. Add potatoes and water; bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes., Add the scallops, lobster, shrimp, cod and haddock. Cook for 10 minutes or until scallops are opaque, shrimp turn pink and fish flakes easily with a fork. Add the butter, salt, parsley and curry powder. Stir in milk and evaporated milk; heat through. Garnish with bacon, additional parsley, and oyster crackers, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 193 calories, Fat 9g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 76mg cholesterol, Sodium 625mg sodium, Carbohydrate 11g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 17g protein.
Tips for the Best Oyster Chowder Ever:
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients. The fresher the seafood, the better the chowder will taste.
- Don't overcook the oysters. They should be cooked just until they are opaque and tender.
- Use a good-quality clam juice. Look for a brand that is low in sodium and has a clean, briny flavor.
- Add vegetables that will hold their shape in the chowder, such as potatoes, carrots, and celery.
- Season the chowder to taste with salt, pepper, and herbs. A bay leaf and a pinch of thyme are classic additions.
- Serve the chowder hot with crusty bread or crackers.
Conclusion:
Oyster chowder is a classic New England dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. With its creamy broth, tender oysters, and hearty vegetables, it's a meal that is sure to warm you up from the inside out. Whether you're a fan of traditional chowder or you like to experiment with different flavors, there's an oyster chowder recipe out there for everyone. So next time you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal, give oyster chowder a try. You won't be disappointed.
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