Clam Chowder Made in a Cast Iron Pot

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon bacon grease
• 2 potatoes, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped, or more to taste
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (6.5 ounce) can clams, liquid drained and reserved and clams chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup corn

Step 1

Warm the bacon grease in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook everything together, stirring now and then, until the onion softens—this should take about 5 to 10 minutes. Next, sprinkle in the flour, salt, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and black pepper, stirring well to coat all the veggies evenly.

Step 2

Pour in the chicken broth along with the reserved clam juice, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently until the potatoes and carrots are nice and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. While that’s cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the cornstarch and cook it for a minute or two until smooth.

Step 3

Slowly add the milk and cream to the butter mixture, stirring constantly until it thickens up, which should take about 5 minutes. Pour this creamy mixture back into the pot with the veggies and broth, then keep it on low heat, stirring until the chowder thickens to your liking, around 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the corn and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the chopped clams and cook just until they're heated through, about 5 more minutes. Give everything a good stir, then it’s ready to serve!