GRANDMA JACKIE'S HAM & CORN CHOWDER

Grandma Jackie's Ham & Corn Chowder image

Provided by Kris Ryan @imsailing

Number Of Ingredients 13

3/4 pound(s) bacon
6 tablespoon(s) butter
3/4 - 1 cup(s) flour
6 cup(s) milk
8 cup(s) potatoes, peeled & cubed
- water to cover potatoes, or to fill pot about 1/2 way
4 cup(s) ham, cubed
1 can(s) corn nibblets ( 1 lg. can or 2 sm. cans)
- salt & pepper to taste
1 - onion, diced
2 teaspoon(s) garlic powder, to taste
3 - 4 tablespoon(s) dried parsely
1 - 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil

Steps:

In a large skillet, fry bacon until very crispy. Remove bacon from pan & set aside, leaving bacon drippings in pan. Add butter to bacon drippings & melt over low heat. Add flour a little at a time and stir in until a paste forms. Whisk milk into flour paste and heat over medium heat until paste dissolves & sauce/rue beings to thicken. Be careful to stir enough that the milk does not burn on the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, saute onions in oil until translucent. Add potatoes & enough water to just cover potatoes & bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt & garlic powder, and lower heat once it comes to a boil. Cook until potatoes are done, but be careful not to over cook potatoes. Once cooked, add the white sauce/rue to the potatoes and water. Stir well.
Add the diced ham & the corn to the soup. Add salt, pepper & parsley. Chop the crisp bacon up into tiny pieces and add to the soup. Stir & simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If chowder seems to "pasty" tasting or thick after it simmers...add some more water & simmer a while longer.