Cheddar Corn Chowder Recipe with Ham

A creamy pot made for passing around

Make the two parts side by side, then bring everyone to the table

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Set out the bowls, because this cheddar corn chowder recipe turns tender potatoes, a smooth white sauce, and diced ham into eight warm servings. It is rich and cozy without asking you to juggle a long list of steps: cook the potato base, whisk the second mixture, and finish everything together.

The two-part rhythm makes this a friendly recipe to cook with company nearby. Someone can measure, someone can dice, and one cook can watch the sauce while the potatoes become tender. Once the cheese melts into the chowder, the kitchen work is done and everyone can settle in with a warm bowl.

Start the potato base and keep every drop

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Choose a large cooking pot with enough room for the whole batch and place it on the stovetop. With your measuring cups and spoons, add one-quarter cup of butter and two and one-quarter cups of water. Bring them to a boil while you prepare the potatoes.

Use a cutting board and chef's knife to make four cups of evenly diced potatoes. Similar-size pieces will reach tenderness together. Add them to the boiling liquid and cook until tender, then leave the cooking liquid in the pot. That buttery liquid becomes part of the finished chowder, so do not drain it away.

Whisk a smooth white sauce

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In a medium saucepan, melt the separate six tablespoons of butter reserved for the white sauce. Keep that portion apart from the butter used with the potatoes so each pan receives the right amount. Add six tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir them together before gradually adding two and one-quarter cups of milk.

Season the sauce with one-half teaspoon of ground black pepper and one and one-half teaspoons of salt. A whisk helps the flour blend evenly as the milk goes in. Work steadily and scrape around the edges of the pan so the mixture comes together smoothly before it joins the potatoes.

Bring the chowder together

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Open the creamed corn with a can opener. If the ham is not already portioned, a kitchen scale makes it easy to measure the full pound. Pour the white sauce into the undrained potato pot, then add the cheese, corn, and ham.

Use a wooden spoon to stir from the bottom and fold the two mixtures together. Heat the chowder until the cheese is fully melted. You are looking for tender potato pieces and an evenly creamy pot; once the cheese has disappeared into the sauce, it is ready to serve.

Keep the cooking pace calm

Measure both butter portions before you begin and place them beside the pan where each will be used. That small bit of organization prevents the larger white-sauce portion from slipping into the potato pot. While the potatoes cook, keep the sauce ingredients within reach and let a helper arrange the bowls. The recipe moves most smoothly when the tender potatoes and finished sauce are ready at about the same time, but tenderness and a fully melted finish matter more than the clock.

Gather family and friends around eight warm bowls

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This is the kind of supper that makes sharing the kitchen feel easy. A family member can dice the potatoes, a friend can measure the sauce ingredients, and the cook can keep an eye on the two pans. As the cheese melts, invite everyone to carry bowls and spoons to the table so dinner comes together without a rush. Bring the pot close enough for easy serving and use a ladle to fill each bowl with potatoes, ham, corn, and creamy broth. Eight servings leave room for a lively table, a quiet family meal, or a few friends who are happy to linger while the bowls are warm.

Tell us who joined you at the table and whether measuring the two butter portions ahead made the chowder easier to cook. Leave a comment.