Hearty Clam Chowder in a Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients 0/17

Step 1

Gently heat the bacon grease in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic, and cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, salt, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and black pepper, then stir well to coat all the veggies evenly.

Step 2

Pour in the chicken broth along with the reserved clam juice. Bring it to a gentle simmer over low heat and let it cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender, which should take around 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3

While that’s simmering, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the cornstarch until you get a smooth paste, then slowly add the milk and cream. Keep stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Pour this creamy mixture into the vegetable and broth pot, stirring as you go. Let the chowder cook gently over low heat until it thickens up nicely, around 5 to 10 minutes. Add the corn and cook for another 5 minutes.

Step 5

Finally, stir in the chopped clams and warm everything through for about 5 more minutes. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to, then it’s ready to serve!