Deer Corn Chowder

As the air gets chilly the leaves turn color, and a new deer season is on the horizon. It’s the perfect time to use up what is left of last season’s buck harvest as a bowl of nice warm chowder. A family favorite in my house is my Deer Corn Chowder. With warming spices and cream sherry, it’s the perfect soup to warm you up after a day of apple picking with your family.

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Ingredients:

– 4 large potatoes, pealed and cubed

– 1 large onion chopped

– 1 lb. hot sausage (I used Deer sausage)

– 2 tbsp Minced garlic

– 1 Stick salted butter

– 1/2 cup cream sherry (I use the cheep stuff that’s $5)

– 1 tbsp. Ground Cumin

– 1/4 tsp. ground pepper

– 1 tsp Thyme (Fresh is best, but dried will work well also.)

– 1 tsp basil

– 2 bay leaves

– 1 can cream style corn

– 2 cans crisp & sweet corn

– 2 cans evaporated milk

– 1 cup cream

– generous pinch of salt to taste

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Step 1

Once you have cut, peeled, and cubed your potatoes, (I was very happy to find these beautiful Maine grown potatoes at the grocery store!) place them in a large pot and fill with just enough water to cover the potatoes and add in the generous pinch of salt. Place on high heat and bring to a boil before reducing to medium heat.

Step 2

While your potatoes cook, melt the stick of butter in a large sauce pan. Then add the minced garlic, chopped onion, and mix together. Then add in the cumin, thyme, basil, bay leaves, and pepper. Let simmer for about a minute.

Step 3

Add in the cream sherry to the butter, onion, and spice mixture. Let this simmer until the cream sherry reduces. Then remove from heat.

Step 4

Once your potatoes are cooked, add the cans of corn: liquid and all. The less water that you add to the soup the better and more flavorful it will be, so when making the soup I add all the juice in the canned corn. Add the cream style corn, the 2 cans of evaporated milk, and the reduction mixture from the sauce pan. Stir together and keep on medium heat.

Step 5

In the same sauce pan that you already used, (Who wants to wash an extra dish?) cook the spicy deer sausage. We have some mixed with a spice flavor at our butcher’s, but you can also add spices to it as it cooks, such as chili powder or chili flakes. If you don’t have ground venison you can also use spicy beef sausage or pork sausage from the store. If you would like to opt for a vegetarian option, add another can of crisp corn and some chili powder. Make sure, if you are cooking with deer, to cook the meat until there is no pink left. You will also want to make sure the sausage is all broken up. Once the sausage is cooked, add it into the rest of the soup mixture.

Step 6

Finally, add in the cup of cream and heat long enough to make sure all of the ingredients are heated. Pair with your favorite bread and butter, biscuits, or crackers. Cheese and pickles great additions to soup or chowder meals – a perfect fall dinner.

ENJOY!