Recipe

Smoked Corn Chowder with Crispy Duck Skin

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Smoked Corn Chowder with Crispy Duck Skin

Photo by Minimally Invasive

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Corn Recipe
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Corn off the Cob
  • A&M's Testing Notes: We absolutely love this chowder — you’d have to be seriously nuts not to. We used four duck breasts because we had them and it is a good thing because we ate a whole bunch of crispy skin bits...

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  • Chef

    Minimally Invasive's Notes: I have a pretty good relationship with my smoker and it rewards me with many fine meals throughout the summer. Recently, I was looking for a way to satisfy a craving for an earthy corn chowder...

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Serves 4

  1. Mix ingredients well and use to season any dark meat before smoking. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container.

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  1. Wash and dry duck breasts. With a sharp knife, score skin and fat, being careful not to cut into the meat. Coat both sides of breasts with dry rub and refrigerate uncovered up to one day.

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  2. Prepare your smoker according to manufacturer’s instructions, using your preferred smoking wood. Place two ears of corn on the lower rack just above the water pan. Place duck skin side up on the top rack over the corn. Smoke until duck is cooked through, about 40-50 minutes. Remove duck and corn from smoker.

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  3. Once corn has cooled enough to handle, cut the kernels from the ears into a large bowl and discard cobs. Cut kernels from the four remaining ears into same bowl and reserve cobs for the stock.

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  4. Remove skin from one duck breast half and chop. In a large, heavy pot over low heat, render fat from the skin. Remove crisped skin from pot with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel-lined plate to cool. Discard any fat over 1 tablespoon that remains in the pot. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the duck fat and increase heat to medium-high.

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  5. Sauté onion, bell pepper and celery in duck fat and butter until wilted. Do not brown. Add corn cobs and remaining ingredients through potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Discard corn cobs, thyme sprig, sage and bay leaf.

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  6. Transfer soup to blender in batches and purée until smooth. (For a velvety consistency, strain soup through a fine mesh strainer and press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard solids.) Stir in heavy cream or half-and-half and adjust seasoning to taste. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy duck skin.

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27 Comments on Smoked Corn Chowder with Crispy Duck Skin

Steve_dunn02 Reply

Did someone say crispy duck skin? Yes, please! LOVE THIS.

Minimallyinvasive Reply

Thank you! And I'm really craving duck skin right now - can't wait till the weekend to fire up the smoker.

Reply

This looks amazing! and I just got duck this past weekend its a sign! love the blog too its fabulous

Minimallyinvasive Reply

Thank you! Isn't it great when fate decides your meals for you?

Reply

We are having trouble getting a smooth consistency to our soup... what are we doing wrong?

we use the cuisinart, and wind up with yummy flavor but with lumpy soup...

any thoughts.. thanks

love the duck combination

Minimallyinvasive Reply

Hi Laura - sorry, I should've mentioned that the soup wouldn't be completely smooth! (I thought the consistency worked well enough with the rustic flavors.) If you want it to be smooth and velvety, just force the soup through a mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Wedding_pictures_162 Reply

Hey, all y'all, check out her blog--it's fabulous and her photography is gorgeous!
http://chimeraobscura.com/mi/

036 Reply

We got a Camerons one, you need to run the vent because a little bit of smoke escapes - we smoked duck, corn, halibut cheeks, sausage and are about to do steak and peppers. LOVE it!!! It was for sale at the grocery store ...

036 Reply

This is a reply to below, I clicked wrong I guess! oops!

Lnd_jen Reply

We have a Weber Bullet and a Camerons, and we love both. Totally making this soon!

036 Reply

You must make it. We got a new stovetop smoker and are completely in love with it!!! Get one!

Minimallyinvasive Reply

What kind of smoker did you get? I like to think I'll still use my Weber during the winter, but the reality is, I kind of hate the cold.

036 Reply

This is so freakin' good!! I ate it until I about popped.

Lnd_jen Reply

You jumped on this right before we did for EP - now I *really* can't wait to try it out!

Minimallyinvasive Reply

How exciting!!! I'm so glad you liked it!

Img_1045_2 Reply

brilliant recipe! really fabuloso. i need a smoker....

Img_1939b Reply

Sounds amazing!

Picture_6 Reply

Love love love!

Green_apple_card Reply

Wow - this sounds great.

Minimallyinvasive Reply

Thanks, everyone -- I hope you like it!

Img_1958 Reply

This sounds divine (I will admit, duck is my weakness). I am saving this...

About Reply

This sounds absolutely delicious. I seriously got hungry reading this. Love the flavor combination!

186003_1004761561_1198459_n Reply

Wow...what an impressive recipe...saved....printed....thumbs up!

Minimallyinvasive Reply

Thank you! It's my first posting - hope I got it right.

Reply

Amazing!

Lnd_jen Reply

Wow, Amy. Fabulous.

Ab_sum Reply

Maximally delicious!

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