It isn’t glamorous folks, but boy it is a popular dish with the family this winter. I came up with the recipe because I wanted to “beef” up my Potato Soup and voilà, Sausage Chowder.
It’s quick and easy to put together. I’m all about finding tasty shortcuts and this one has them all. You can easily double the recipe if you need to feed a small army. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring this to a Super Bowl party, office/church potluck, or porch drop to anyone feeling under the weather. Honestly, we’ve all been under the weather here lately with Covid. It hit us out of the blue and it’s almost completely wiped out my sense of taste. Want to know what it’s like to be a recipe creator that can only taste salt? It’s a challenge to say the least. I’m having to rely on past recipes and make do with what I know. Curious enough, I didn’t lose my sense of smell, so cinnamon smells wonderful, but I can’t taste it. My husband, who tries to find humor in most situations, wanted to see how much taste I lost, and since I’m kind of a weenie when it comes to spicy foods, he handed me a jalapeño. Nothing. I ate the whole thing. Then came the Sriracha, same. However, I did get some tingly sensations on my tongue, so I sprinkled a whole bunch of the hot sauce into my tasteless soup to get some sort of enjoyment from my food. My kids watched in disbelief. All this to say, it’s been an interesting January. My hope is that you enjoy this recipe as much as I have and who knows, now that I type these words, I may have to make this and add some Frank’s Red Hot!
Sausage Chowder
1 32 oz bag of Mr Dell’s Southern Style Frozen Hash Browns ( or any frozen cubed potato will do)
1 lb of your favorite sausage, I like Iserino’s
1 32 oz container beef broth (chicken and veggie broth work too)
2 Cups whole milk
4 T AP Flour
1 yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t thyme
1 C sharp Cheddar, I like Tilamook, they also have a yummy 3 cheddar blend
1/3 C sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
In your large soup pot, crumble your sausage and cook over medium high heat. Once all the pink is gone turn your burner to medium then stir in your onion, celery and garlic. Cover and let it hang out for a bit. When your onions are translucent, add your flour and stir until all is coated, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, then slowly add your beef broth while stirring continuously. Once combined, add your frozen potatoes. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes then turn down to a simmer, add your thyme, and cover to cook for 15 minutes or until your potatoes are fork tender. When your potatoes are done, take an old fashioned potato masher or new fangled immersion blender and mash up some of the potatoes in your pot. We aren’t looking for mashed potatoes here, we’re just breaking up some of the potatoes to thicken the texture of the chowder. Stir in your sour cream, milk and 3/4 cup of your cheese, along with salt and pepper to taste. Heat through then, serve. Add a sprinkle of your remaining cheese on top of each bowl of the chowder. I serve this up with a green salad and sliced apples.
Enjoy!
