Smoked Salmon Corn Chowder Recipe

Chef Sherry Pocknett’s history with seafood chowder is a personal one. A member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, she was raised on Cape Cod and got her start in her family’s restaurant, where a traditional quahog (hard-shell clam) chowder was on the menu. When she opened her own spot, Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown, Rhode Island, a seafood chowder made with roasted corn and smoked mussels was frequently on offer until the restaurant’s closure in early 2025. 

This version swaps in hot-smoked salmon for clams or mussels. The flaky fish lends a gentle smokiness that balances the sweetness of sautéed corn and starchy red potatoes. When fresh corn isn’t available, thawed frozen kernels work well. 

While the soup is hearty enough to serve alone, you can serve it with standard soup sides like crusty bread or oyster crackers. To add additional brightness, try it with a crisp green salad. “Everyone loves it,” Pocknett says. “I can’t make enough.”

What is hot-smoked salmon? 

Hot-smoked salmon is a type of cured salmon that’s generally smoked between 120°F to 180°F until fully cooked. Unlike cold-smoked salmon, which is silky and raw-textured, hot-smoked salmon is flaky, firm, and has a more concentrated smoky flavor because it is smoked at a higher temperature. 

Where to find hot-smoked salmon 

You can find hot-smoked salmon at most grocery stores, either prepackaged in the refrigerated section next to the cold-smoked salmon or at the seafood counter. You can also source it online at retailers like SeaBear or Sizzlefish.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• The bloodline running along the center of the fillet on the skin side often has a stronger, fishier flavor. Use a spoon to scrape and remove the dark gray bloodline before flaking the fillet.  
• In peak corn season, scrape the milk from the cobs and add it to the chicken stock in step 2 to intensify the corn flavor.
• For a creamier texture, take out about 1 1/2 cups of the soup, and process it in a blender until smooth, then stir it back into the soup.

Suggested pairing 

A bright but substantial white, like Jordan Chardonnay, has the snap of citrus and green apple to cut through the chowder’s butter and cream, while its medium body gives it the texture to meet the roux and potatoes. The wine’s clean, saline-tinged finish resets the palate between spoonfuls of the smoky soup. 

This recipe was developed by Sherry Pocknett; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.