Ingredients
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1 ham bone, with at least 1 cup of meat remaining on bone
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water, to cover
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4 tablespoons butter
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4 tablespoons flour
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2 cups milk (whole milk preferred)
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1 1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 (15 ounce) can corn
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1 tablespoon dried onion flakes or 1/4 cup freshly minced onion
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1 -2 clove garlic, minced
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salt and pepper, to taste
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paprika, to taste
Instructions
- On a firm non-breakable surface, take a clean hammer and crack the middle of the ham bone so that marrow can escape during cooking.
- Place ham bone flat in the bottom of a pot and add enough water to just cover.
- Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove bone and cut off the remaining tender ham meat; set meat aside.
- Turn up the heat on the ham broth and reduce down until you have about a couple of cups of broth, or to desired strength.
- Skim the fat from the broth.
- Melt butter in a large pan; remove from heat and mix in flour until smooth.
- Slowly add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly.
- Return pan to stove and cook on low heat until milk thickens.
- Stir the corn, the ham pieces you set aside earlier, dried minced onion, and minced garlic into thickened milk; then slowly stir in the remaining milk and the ham broth.
- Cook on low for about 15 minutes, but do not boil.
- Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
- *Note: how much meat you leave on the bone is up to you, but I like to have a couple of cups of ham bits mixed into this chowder.
- Optional: you can add a cup of cooked, chopped potato chunks to the soup near the end of the cooking, if you like.