Smith Island Fish House Chowder
A clear, tomato-free broth chowder made by Smith Island watermen's families using the day's rockfish catch with potatoes and salt pork.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 240 kcal
Equipment
- •Large soup pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- fat
- 8
- carbs
- 20
- protein
- 20
- calories
- 240
Instructions
- 1
Cook the salt pork in a large soup pot over medium heat until crisp.
- 2
Add the onion. Cook until it softens.
- 3
Add the potatoes and water or fish stock. Bring the liquid to a boil.
- 4
Turn down the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- 5
Stir in the Old Bay seasoning.
- 6
Add the rockfish chunks. Simmer gently for 5-7 minutes until just cooked through.
- 7
Top with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Add the fish in the last few minutes of cooking so it stays tender without falling apart. Cook the salt pork slowly to build rich flavor without burning it.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, being careful not to overcook the fish further.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding the fish too early, which makes it overcook and fall apart
- •Using cream instead of the traditional clear broth base
Serving suggestions
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