Grilled Salmon Chowder
Oh my, if you’re a salmon lover, you’ll love Grilled Salmon Chowder. This thick chowder is filled with large chunks of grilled salmon, along with potatoes, carrots, carrots, corn and leeks. Did I mention bacon??? It’s seasoned wonderfully with several spices including Old Bay Seasoning which is terrific with anything seafood, in my opinion. This chowder is mouthwatering comfort food that you will eat down to the last drop!
Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that aid in the maintenance of the body’s hormone production, which includes the production of sex hormones, which directly affect our libido. Even better, salmon’s increased levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that promotes pleasure, have been linked to more intense orgasms you can also get with the new toys according to this Loki Wave 2 review.
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If you know me at all, you know fish is really not my cup of tea. I grew up on meat and potatoes. After I left home I started trying all kinds of foods and love all of it, except fish. I do eat a few things: salmon, Clam Chowder and sometimes crab cakes. But that’s really about it. On the other hand, my husband loves fish, shellfish–just about any kind of seafood. 🙁
He’s been really wanting some grilled salmon lately so I compromised. I’ve been wanting to try a Grilled Salmon Chowder loosely based on my New England Clam Chowder (with changes of course). I wanted to use grilled salmon rather than just adding uncooked salmon to the broth and cooking it that way. Grilling or roasting brings out the best flavors of any meat or veggie in my opinion. So he did the grilling and I took two-thirds of it and made it into this fantastic chowder.
Let me add a few insights: The leeks make this chowder so delicious in my opinion. Don’t leave them out! Make sure you get salmon pieces or whole salmon with the skin on one side (for grilling, so the fish doesn’t stick to the grill too much). After grilling peel off the skin before using in the recipe. If you can afford it, try to get REAL Alaskan or Atlantic salmon that’s NOT farm raised. So much better flavor and the farm-raised isn’t as healthy as they try to promote it to be.
Lastly, experiment with the Old Bay Seasoning. I used only two teaspoons, but you may desire more. My son’s mother-in-law uses 6 teaspoons in her Crab Bisque and it’s wonderful. Don’t go overboard, but check the seasonings before serving. You may find you enjoy more.
Grilled Salmon Chowder is a wonderful stick-to-the-ribs meal that’s hearty and satisfying. Add some Cheesy Mexican Cornbread or homemade rolls and you have a match made in heaven. Well,….almost. 🙂
Grilled Salmon Chowder is so comforting for a main dish meal.
We topped it with extra bacon, chives and dill weed and served it with Oyster Crackers.
Every spoonful is so flavorful.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients plus flour.
Grill the salmon on the skin side first. Season with lemon pepper seasoning and any seafood seasoning you desire. My husband added a little rosemary.
Here’s the salmon after grilling.
Peel off the skin layer on salmon.
Cut the salmon into one-inch chunks and set aside.
Cut bacon in one-inch pieces.
Place bacon pieces in a Dutch oven and cook over low to medium heat. Be careful not to cook on so high a temperature that the bacon scorches!
Remove cooked bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside.
To the bacon grease in the Dutch oven: Add diced onions, garlic, carrots and leeks.
Stir ingredients into the bacon grease.
Cook a few minutes until veggies are tender.
Add clam juice or fish juice.
Add chicken broth.
Add potatoes.
Add seasonings and cover with lid.
Cook over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender but NOT overcooked.
Add half-and-half.
Add heavy whipping cream.
Add corn and peas.
Whisk flour and water together until no bumps remain.
Add flour paste mixture and stir into chowder.
Stir to combine. Continue cooking, the chowder will thicken over the next few minutes.
Once the chowder has thickened, add the salmon.
Add part of the reserved bacon.
Stir to combine. Garnish with bacon, fresh chives or fresh dill weed, if desired.
Garnish individual bowls of Grilled Salmon Chowder with chives, dill weed and bacon. We served the chowder with Cheesy Mexican Cornbread.
You can also serve this fish chowder with oyster crackers.
Bacon makes everything better. 🙂
Here’s the recipe.
GRILLED SALMON CHOWDER
(My own concoction)
Grilled Salmon Chowder
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch Oven or stock pot
- 1 grill gas or electric to grill the fish
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 vegetable peeler
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 soup ladle
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. salmon with skin on one side, grilled and cut into one-inch chunks
- 8 slices bacon cut in one-inch pieces and crisp cooked (reserve half of the bacon for toppings)
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chunked
- 1 rib celery diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 leek green top removed, washed thoroughly and diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 8 oz. jar clam juice or fish stock
- 16 oz. container chicken broth (see note below)
- 1 tsp. dried dill weed
- 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning or more as desired
- 1 tbsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 quart half-and-half
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup flour for thickening
- 1 cup water for thickening
- 1 tbsp. fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Grill salmon and set aside.
- Cook bacon in a large stock pot over low to medium heat.
- Be sure the bacon is cooked down but not scorched!
- Remove bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Set aside.
- To bacon grease in Dutch oven or stock pot: add onion, celery, leek, carrots and garlic.
- Sauté a few minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Add fish juice, chicken broth, potatoes and seasonings and cook until potatoes are almost tender about 10 minutes.
- Slowly stir in half-and-half and heavy whipping cream.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Add peas and corn and cook about 3-5 minutes.
- If chowder seems too thin, thicken it with ½ cup of flour mixed with 1 cup of water.
- Stir the thin paste into the pot and continue heating over low heat.
- Stir in grilled salmon and about half of the cooked bacon and heat through a few minutes to re-warm the salmon.
- Check seasonings.
- Add additional seasoning, if desired.
- Ladle chowder into individual bowls.
- Top with fresh chives and remaining bacon pieces.
- Serve with oyster crackers.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Grilled Salmon Chowder is so scrumptious. You can increase the Old Bay Seasoning if you want a little more “ooomph.”
Bacon and leeks add such great flavor to this chowder. Each bowl is filled with large chunks of salmon. Yum.
Grilled Salmon Chowder is mouthwatering. This is a fantastic comfort food meal especially during long winter months.