Slow Cooker Potato & Corn Chowder

This thick and hearty potato and corn chowder cooks to perfection in your slow cooker. Add some brats or smoked sausage and you’ve got a complete meal!

This is such a perfect soup for a cold winter night!

I’ve combined corn chowder and a creamy potato soup and the combination is just fantastic.

The basic ingredients are items that I’m sure everyone has on the shelf or in the freezer. My freezer space is a real premium so I try to use what I have on hand that’s open just to make space.

I had half a bag of southern-style hash browns that were kicking around in there and I really wanted to use them. This was the perfect way to do it.

Love me some cheese bratwurst too, but since I can’t eat the entire package, there’s always leftovers. I’m also not much into freezing sausage since you can’t freeze it for too long–but I did buy fresh the other day and cooked the whole shebang. I already had the leftover brats penciled in for this. But you don’t have to use any sausage or meat–this soup can stand on it’s own as a complete meal. However, it’s another great way to use leftover meats that would go well in the soup.

As far as the frozen potatoes, you can use all shredded hash browns or all diced southern style, or a combination of the two if you have some opened orphans in the freezer. This soups isn’t fussy!

I added a couple of peeled potatoes cut in chunks merely for presentation because it just looks better, and also to add some chew factor to the soup. That way you feel you are eating instead of just drinking!

Serve this up with some hard rolls and a green salad and it’s a mighty fine and filling meal!

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Slow Cooker Potato & Corn Chowder

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 15 mins

Servings: 10

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 bag 32 oz frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
• 2 large potatoes peeled and cut in chunks
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 cup corn canned, frozen or fresh
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 8 oz cooked bratwurst or smoked sausage optional
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar
• Salt to taste.

Instructions

• Chop bacon into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cook bacon and onion in a skillet over medium heat until bacon is nicely browned (the onions will be brown too—it’s OK). Drain the excess fat and place in a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
• Add the shredded potatoes, the cut potatoes, corn, thyme and the chicken stock and sausage if using.
• Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, high 3-5 hours.
• Turn the slow cooker to high (if you cooked on low). Whisk the flour with the half-and-half till smooth. Add this slowly to the soup, stirring constantly so there are no lumps.
• Cook on high for 30 minutes.
• Add the cheese stirring until it’s completely melted. Add any salt at this time.
• NOTE: I use low-sodium or unsalted stock. I added about 2 tsp of salt for my taste. It is best to salt to taste at the end of cooking.

Notes

You can use all shredded potatoes, or all southern-style hash browns or a combo of the two.

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