As a home cook, I love the autumn season! And it’s not just because there’s so much fresh food coming into my kitchen. No. When outdoor temperatures drop, I feel happy because this means I can once again make my favorite soups and stews. Yes, I readily confess I’m a soup lover!
There’s something so heart warming and nourishing about a good, homemade soup! And today, I want to share a variation of one of my favorites!
How to Make Corn and Duck Chowder
I know duck isn’t common in the North American culture, but in our home, it’s a favorite. Duck has a rich, hearty flavor that beats both chicken and turkey (in my mind anyway)! If you’ve never served duck before, I’d recommend starting with this recipe by way of introduction.
Step 1: Stew Your Duck
After letting your duck thaw for 8+ hours, place it in a snug-fitting baking dish. Cover the bird with about 1/2 inch of water, add about 1 tsp salt and pop it in the oven. Let it slowly bake for 5 (maybe 6) hours or until the meat starts slipping off the bones.
Note: if you don’t want to use your oven, you can do this in a crock pot as well. Cover the bird and let it cook on medium/low heat for 6-8 hours
When the duck is finished, lift it out of the broth and let it cool for a bit. Using clean hands, separate pick the meat from the bones neatly pile it on a plate.
Step 2: Prepare the Broth
There should be lots of duck broth leftover in the baking dish! Strain it through a colander to catch any fatty bits of skin, then measure it out into a stockpot.
Set it boil on the stovetop while you prepare your vegetables!
Step 3: Add Vegetables and Meat
This recipe will take about 3 large potatoes. I don’t peel mine but you can if you so desire.
Wash your potatoes well and then dice each one into 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the boiling broth. At this point, you’ll measure out and add both sweet corn and duck meat.
Cover the pot with a lid and let these three ingredients boil for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Add Milk, Salt and Onion Greens
Once your potatoes begin to soften, it’s time to add the milk. Stir it in and let things gently simmer while you prepare your onion greens.
Note: leeks make a delicious replacement for onion greens!
Dice tender onion greens, until you have 1 C. Stir them into the pot. At this point, you can also add the remaining salt and season to personal taste.
Step 5: Prepare and Stir in Herbs
About 4-5 minutes before serving your corn and duck chowder, turn the oven burner off. Dice a handful of parsley until you have about 1 C, loosely packed. Add this to the pot, along with 1/2 C chopped, green basil.
Cover the pot with a lid and let the herbs steam until you are ready to serve. Ladle it into bowls and add a side of hot biscuits or homemade bread.
Dinner is served!

Corn and Duck Chowder
Ingredients
- a 4-5 lb duck
- 1/2 gallon water
- 6 C broth
- 3 C milk
- 3 C diced potatoes
- 2 C frozen or canned corn
- 1 C diced duck meat
- 1 C diced green onions (or leeks)
- 1 C loosely packed parsley
- 1/2 C loosely packed basil
- 3 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a small roaster, place 1 thawed duck
- Add water until the duck is covered by 1/4-1/2 inch
- Sprinkle in 1 tsp salt
- Place the roaster in the oven and turn it to 350F
- Bake for about 4-6 hours or until meat slips off the bone
- Lift the duck out and place in a baking dish, allow it to cool
- Pull the meat from the bones and set it aside
- Measure out 6 C broth and place in a stockpot
- Dice potatoes into 1/2 inch squares
- Add potatoes, corn and duck meat to the broth
- Stir in milk
- Dice and add onion greens (or leeks)
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft
- Roughly chop parsley and basil
- Add to soup and let herbs steam for 4-5 minutes before serving hot
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