Slow cooker ham and corn chowder is a cold-weather soup that starts in the morning and finishes itself. Potatoes, onion, celery, diced ham, two types of corn, and chicken stock go into the slow cooker together, seasoned with fennel seed, thyme, and garlic. An hour before serving, a cornstarch slurry stirred in thickens everything from a brothy soup into a chowder. Evaporated milk adds creaminess without the risk of curdling that whole milk or heavy cream would have after hours in a slow cooker. Eight servings from one pot, 242 calories each.

The two-corn approach is the technique that gives this chowder its body and sweetness. One can of cream-style corn goes in alongside two cans of regular corn. The cream corn is a natural thickener that adds sweetness and a slightly blended corn flavor through the whole soup; the regular corn keeps distinct kernels in every spoonful. Using only one or the other would produce a different chowder.

The slow cooker method

Everything except the evaporated milk and the cornstarch slurry goes into the slow cooker together. Potatoes, onion, celery, both cans of corn, chicken stock, diced ham, and all the seasonings. Stir to combine. The evaporated milk goes in from the start as well, which is one of the practical advantages of evaporated milk in slow cooker recipes: it's heat-stable enough to cook for hours without breaking. Regular milk added at the start would curdle and separate over a long cook.

Cook on high for three to four hours or low for six to eight. The potatoes will be tender and the flavors will have come together by the end of either window.

The cornstarch slurry

One hour before serving, whisk two tablespoons of cornstarch with three tablespoons of cold water in a small dish until no lumps remain. Pour into the slow cooker and stir to distribute. The cornstarch needs the remaining hour of cooking to activate fully and thicken the soup to a proper chowder consistency. Added in the last hour rather than at the start, it gives you control over the final thickness: if you want it thicker, add a little more slurry; if it's thick enough, leave it as is.

Lump-free slurry is important. Cornstarch that goes into a hot liquid with lumps produces pockets of thick gel rather than an even thickener. Two tablespoons of cold water to two tablespoons of cornstarch, whisked until smooth before it goes in, dissolves evenly into the soup.

The seasonings

The fennel seed is the unexpected ingredient that makes this chowder taste more considered than a plain ham and corn soup. Fennel seed has a mild anise flavor that deepens in a long slow cook and pairs naturally with pork, which is why it's so common in Italian sausage and in sausage-based soups. A teaspoon is enough to be present without being identifiable as fennel to someone who doesn't know it's there. It adds a warmth and depth in the background that works alongside the thyme and garlic.

Ham and corn as a combination

Ham and corn is one of those pairings that shows up across American regional cooking, from New England chowder to Midwestern casseroles, because the sweet cured pork flavor and the sweetness of corn reinforce each other rather than competing. This version leans into that pairing with the two-corn technique and the evaporated milk that softens everything. The potatoes add substance and the celery adds a slight bitterness that keeps the soup from being one-dimensional.

This is a set-it-and-walk-away soup in the truest sense. Ten minutes of prep, one afternoon of slow cooking, and a final stir of slurry an hour before dinner. Serves 8. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of chicken stock if the chowder has thickened in the fridge. Nutrition per serving: 242 calories, 37g carbohydrates, 14g protein, 6g fat.

Variations

Add a cup of shredded rotisserie chicken in place of or alongside the ham for a chicken corn chowder. A can of drained diced green chiles stirred in adds a mild heat. Top each bowl with shredded cheddar and sliced green onions at the table. A drizzle of hot sauce over the top for anyone who wants more heat. None of these change the method.