Wild Turkey Smoked Corn Chowder

Josh Dahlke / THE HUNGER  

This chowder recipe lets you dig into the golden kernels of summer’s candy corn … and you won’t even need a toothpick. Just spoon up a hot bowl and enjoy the sweet corn crunch, along with a smoky reminder of that gobbler you smoked during spring turkey season. Who says you need to wait until leaves are dropping to chow on a hearty batch of heartwarming chowder?

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds braised wild turkey (see Captain’s braised wild turkey legs recipe)  
• 6 fresh sweet corn cobs
• 4 cups chicken broth or stock (or wild turkey stock)
• 4 cups whole milk
• 3 sticks butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 large diced russet potato
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup minced green onions (keep green tops for garnish)
• 2 cloves minced fresh garlic
• 3 teaspoons coarse ground salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice from one lemon
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh parsley
• Oyster crackers

Directions: 

1. Smoke corn for 15-20 minutes with husks on to retain moisture. Remove husks and roast exposed ears over open flames for 5 more minutes, rotating for even light charring or grill marks. Remove from grill or smoker, let cool, then slice off corn kernels and set aside.
2. Sauté potato, carrots, bell pepper, celery, green onions and garlic in cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat until all ingredients start to brown. Remove solids and set aside.
3. Add 2 sticks butter and flour to Dutch oven. Whisk constantly until flour is no longer chunky. This is your chowder roux (thickener).
4. Add sautéed veggies and garlic, and all remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Stir chowder and scrape bottom of Dutch oven regularly with wooden or plastic utensil. 
5. Ladle finished chowder into bowl and garnish with thyme, parsley, green onion tops/chives, and oyster crackers.