Crawfish Corn Chowder

6 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 50 m Total: 1 h 5 m Intermediate
5.0/5 (3)
A wonderful, rich and thick hot chowder for those chilly nights. Made with crawfish tails, bacon, potatoes, and cream-style corn in a creamy Half & Half base. And who can pass up a good crawfish dish?

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 1 pound crawfish tails, peeled
  • 12 oz bacon
  • 2 cups potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup onions, diced
  • 2 (16 oz) cans cream style corn
  • 2 pints Half & Half (or whipping cream)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp Creole seasoning (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Fry bacon until crisp. Discard all but 4 tbsp of bacon grease and use to sauté potatoes and onions for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add butter, corn, Half & Half, Creole seasoning and Tabasco (if using). Stir to combine.
  3. Crumble bacon into fine bits and add to chowder. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add crawfish and continue to cook 15-20 minutes before serving, being careful not to overcook the crawfish (they should be just heated through and tender).

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why is my chowder too thin?

A: The chowder thickens as the potatoes cook and release their starch. Make sure to cook the full 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. If still too thin, you can mash a few of the potato pieces against the side of the pot to release more starch, or simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.

Q: Can I use frozen crawfish?

A: Yes, frozen crawfish tails work perfectly. Thaw them first and drain well before adding to avoid watering down the chowder. Add them in the last 15 minutes as directed.

Q: My crawfish turned rubbery, what happened?

A: Crawfish overcook quickly and become tough. Add them in the final 15-20 minutes only, just long enough to heat through. They're done when heated through and tender, not when they've been boiling for a long time.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t discard all the bacon grease—those 4 tablespoons are key to building flavor in the base. The rendered bacon fat gives the vegetables a rich, smoky foundation that makes this chowder special. Also, dice your potatoes into uniform pieces (about 1/2-inch cubes) so they cook evenly.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • crawfish tails: shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Half & Half: whole milk with 1/2 cup heavy cream, or use all heavy cream for extra richness
  • cream style corn: regular corn kernels (fresh or frozen) plus 2 tbsp flour
  • bacon: salt pork or andouille sausage, diced

Equipment Needed

  • Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Skillet for frying bacon
  • Knife and cutting board for dicing

Historical Context

Crawfish chowders became popular in Louisiana as a way to showcase crawfish tails in a hearty, warming soup during the cooler months of crawfish season (typically late winter through spring). The combination of crawfish with corn is a natural pairing in Cajun cuisine, where both ingredients are celebrated staples.