6 to 8 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
2 russet potatoes (1 1/2 or 2 pounds)
Small Louisiana shrimp (1 1/2 or 2 pounds)
Thick cut bacon (1 pound)
Salted butter
All-purpose flour
Whole milk (Room temp)
Heavy whipping cream (Room temp)
Sour cream (Room temp)
Sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces in weight)
Shredded parmesan cheese
Seasonings
Green onion (3 or 4 ounces in weight)
Garlic
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s seafood magic
Freeze-dried chives
Preparation of ingredients
Seasonings
Step 1- Chop 3 to 4 ounces Green onions including the scallions. Cut 3 cloves of garlic in half and press garlic with a garlic press.
Cheese
Step 2- Shredd the entire 8-ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese. Place into fridge until ready to be added into the chowder.
Potatoes
Step 3- Peel 2 russet potatoes using a potato peeler. Chop potatoes into medium-sized chunks. Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon vinegar into a medium-sized bowl and stir. All potato cubes into the water and stir. Let soak for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, drain water and set aside until ready to be added into the chowder.
Shrimp
Step 4- Remove shrimp heads and shells from the shrimp tail and place into a medium-sized bowl.
Step 5- Cut the back of each shrimp tail and remove the shrimp’s digestive tract. Add shrimp tails into strainer and rinse with cold water. From there, add shrimp into a medium-sized bowl. Place Shrimp heads, shells, and tails into the fridge until ready to be cooked.
Bacon
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 6- Cut bacon strips in half and add them into a large saucepan and let fry for 12 to 15 minutes. Add bacon strips into a serving bowl lined with napkins and add bacon fat left over in saucepan into a small bowl. Let bacon strips and bacon fat cool completely.
Step 7- Once the bacon strips have cooled, crumble bacon with your hands and set aside.
Potatoes
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 8- Add 5 to 6 cups water and 1 or 2 teaspoons salt into a medium-sized pot. Add potato cubes and stir. Let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Turn fire off and add cooked potato cubes into a strainer and set aside to cool.
Concentrated shrimp stock
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Note- You should have 3/4 to 1 cup shrimp stock left over after the cooking process has completed.
Step 9- Add 4 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s seafood magic, and shrimp heads and shells. Stir all ingredients together and let simmer for 40 minutes.
Step 10- Add cooked shrimp heads and shells into a mesh strainer with a medium-sized bowl underneath it. Remove shrimp heads and shells and shake the mesh strainer. Once done discard the shrimp heads and shells. You should have 3/4 to 1 cup shrimp stock left over.
Assembling the chowder
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Note- If your chowder curdles, it can be fixed. Do not throw it away. Proceed to the troubleshoot step below step 15.
Step 11- Add 2 tablespoons bacon fat (Pan juices left over from the bacon strips), and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour into a large saucepan. Stir mixture with a wooden spatula or spoon until combined.
Step 12- Add 1 cup chopped green onions into the roux and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Next add the pressed garlic (Whatever amount you have from those 3 cloves), and stir.
Step 13- Add 2 cups whole milk (Room temp), 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (Room temp), 3/4 or 1 cup of concentrated shrimp stock, and 1/2 or 2/3 cup sour cream (Room temp). Stir all ingredients together with a whisk until combined.
Step 14- Add 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s seafood magic, 1 tablespoon of freeze-dried or fresh chives and shrimp tails. Stir all ingredients together. Let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Turn you fire off.
Step 15- Add crumbled bacon and potato cubes and stir all ingredients together. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese and 2 cups (5-ounces in weight) shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Stir all ingredients until the cheese has melted. Let cool for an additional 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
Troubleshoot step- If your mixture curdles, add an additional 3/4 to 1 cup heavy whipping cream and stir until combined. Adding the additional cream should not affect the flavor of the dish.
YouTube instructional video
