What makes something chowder

Improve this question. All of this is pretty clearly answered by Wikipedia and seems to be a "general reference" question to me. We really try to discourage these here; see also Should "general reference" questions be asked and answered here? If this isn't narrowed down then it will have to be closed. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Chowders typically have five parts: The vegetables or seafood, the focal ingredient of the soup. Ancillary ingredients which may include cream, diced onions, bacon, or herbs.

The cooking liquid—usually broth or stock. A thickening agent—usually cornstarch, flour, or potatoes. Seasonings including salt and pepper. Improve this answer. Community Bot 1. MargeGunderson MargeGunderson 1, 1 1 gold badge 10 10 silver badges 17 17 bronze badges. If ever an answer comprehended a question's full intent and meaning, its usefulness to might be viewing, and demonstated genuine expertise as well as big hearted selflessness--and all without knee-jerk resort to wiki-opinion-poll-of-the-day-pedia, better than this one of Marge's, I have not seen it.

One UP and a whole heap of hidden Up's. The answer--the only one needed hence no discussion , and which understood the Q's complete ramifications, responded expansively but precisely to that narrowing--to the specifity not generality of the question. Plus, would it have not been too broad, too general, had the narrowing which failed to be recognized as such been omitted, with ouster for the same reason in reverse?

The Q was a cake slice to be eaten, not a cake just to be had. Manhattan chowder ain't chowder. It's tomatoe deliberate e soup with a few pieces of sturfs. SourDoh Joe perry Joe perry 31 1 1 bronze badge.

The other answer starts by saying chowders are cream based. Anastasia Zendaya 3, 6 6 silver badges 22 22 bronze badges. Tom Tom 1.

New England clam chowder is made with lots of potatoes. Manhattan clam chowder is tomato based, which will keep the potatoes from breaking down to use as a thickener. These small, round crackers transform into soft pillows when dropped into chowder, and they're a perfect vehicle for all the flavors. At the bare minimum, serve your chowder with a loaf of crusty bread-but why not take it a step further by serving it in a bread bowl?

You can easily make a bread bowl from-scratch try this easy Italian Bread Bowls recipe , from frozen dough , or with a hollowed-out small Italian or French boule from the grocery store. Save the scooped-out bread-it's perfect for making homemade croutons.

In addition to bread, a simple green salad pairs well with chowder. Dress your greens with a tangy vinaigrette to balance out the richness of the chowder. Check out our collection of Chowder Recipes. How to Make the Best Chowders. By Elizabeth Laseter August 28, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Pin FB Share.

Clam Chowder. Photo by Meredith. Roux: Some chowder recipes call for making a roux, a thickening agent made with equal parts flour and a type of fat like butter, bacon fat, or oil. You'll make the roux in the same pot you're using to make the chowder, and you'll cook it just enough to lose its raw flour smell. If your chowder becomes too thick after you add the roux, you can always thin it out with a little milk or cream.

To learn exactly how to make a roux, check out this helpful guide. Potatoes: Potatoes, a key ingredient in chowder, can also serve as a thickener. For the best results, use naturally starchy Russet potatoes, and avoid waxier types like red potatoes and Yukon golds. As the potatoes cook, they release their starches into the chowder.

If you're making a creamy chowder, cooking potatoes in milk may cause the fat to separate, but you can usually fix this by mixing in warmed heavy cream just before serving. Cornstarch: If you want to use cornstarch to thicken your chowder, you'll need to make a slurry first. Simply mix the cornstarch with equal parts cold liquid like water or stock , then add the mixture to your chowder.

While cornstarch is the fastest way to thicken a chowder, it's also flavorless and won't do much to enhance it otherwise. New England Clam Chowder I.

Try these top recipes, which offer a mix of traditional and creative riffs, below:. Summer Corn Chowder Photo by lutzflcat. Potato Chowder Leek and Potato Chowder. Bread Bowl with Clam Chowder. All rights reserved. Close this dialog window View image.

It is because chowder is practically one kind of soup. Basically, chowder is a thicker kind of soup as it is cream-based while soup, in general, is usually made much thinner and has broth. In terms of origin, chowder has deep roots from the Northeastern region of the U. By contrast, soup first materialized in America by in the first-ever published colonial cookbooks by William Parks. Despite this etymological significance, chowder is a very American dish but with some French influence nonetheless.

Chowder is thick because it has been enriched with flour and salt pork fat whose combination gives it its creamy texture. Some prepare their chowder by incorporating saltine crackers, milk, and crushed ship biscuits.

Based on some custom practices, chowder also makes use of cream, potatoes, seafood and onions. With regard to the seafood used, clams were more preferred than fish especially in the Northeast since these were overly abundant in that region. Some American chowder deviates from the norm of adding milk and cream. To fill this gap, experts use a tomato base instead to attain almost the same type of creamy consistency as evidenced in Manhattan Clam Chowder.

In addition, many local folks have been experimenting on this dish. No matter where the chowder has been prepared, the people eating it will always look forward to the creamy and chunky feel of the preparation.