Corn Chowder with Cheese
Freeze-dried corn and potato thicken into a warm, thick soup. Winter trail lunch or day-hike dinner.
- calories
- 720
- weight
- 6.3 oz
- cal / oz
- 114
- protein
- 33 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 11 min
- water
- 500 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Day hike
- Winter / snow
- Vegetarian
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Instant mashed potato flakes | 1/2 cup | lower-sodium preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried sweet corn | 1/2 cup | |
| Freeze-dried bell pepper | 2 Tbsp | |
| Dry milk powder | 1/4 cup | |
| Dried onion | 1 1/2 tsp | |
| Dried parsley | 1 tsp | |
| Granulated garlic | 1 tsp | |
| Vegetable bouillon | 1 tsp or 1/2 cube | lower-sodium preferred |
| Old Bay seasoning | 1/2 tsp | |
| Freeze-dried cheddar cheese | 1/4 cup | kept separate, added at the end |
Method
- Boil 500 ml of water in a small pot.
- If using freezer bag method: place all dry ingredients in a freezer bag positioned inside a cozy or a small pot for insulation. Slowly pour the boiling water into the bag while stirring, seal it, and let sit covered for 10 minutes.
- If using one-pot method: stir all dry ingredients directly into the hot water, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes off heat.
- Stir well. The chowder will be thick. Add more hot water now if you prefer it thinner.
- Sprinkle the freeze-dried cheese over the top and stir until it rehydrates into the soup.
Freeze-dried vegetables fully rehydrate in boiling water, and the potato flakes do the work of thickening the soup into something with body rather than thin broth. The dry milk and cheese carry most of the calories and protein, which is what you need on a cold day when you are fueling a body that is staying warm.
Both the freezer bag method (in a cozy) and one-pot method produce the same result in about 10 minutes from boil. The thickened chowder is substantial and warm. Add more water if you want it thinner, or leave it as is—this recipe skews thick by design.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients except the cheese into a quart freezer bag at home. Keep the freeze-dried cheese in a separate small bag or container to prevent it from getting crushed. If using the freezer bag cooking method, a cozy is essential to keep the heat in during the 10-minute rehydration.
Variations
- Add 1/4 oz bacon bits or freeze-dried ham for a smoked flavor and 80 more calories.
- Stir in 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast with the cheese for deeper umami and B vitamins.
- Replace Old Bay with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika for a different seasoning profile.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/01/23/fbc-recipe-corn-chowder