Hearty Fish Chowder
Drawn from a named source but not independently confirmed. Double-check before relying on it.
Ingredients and steps reflect general, widely-known culinary technique and have not been individually fact-checked against an official source — same sourcing bar as this site's bait.ts/rigs.ts. The specific food-safety numbers in safeHandlingNotes (145°F safe minimum internal temperature) were checked against FoodSafety.gov, though a direct WebFetch of that exact page returned a 403 on repeated attempts as of 2026-08-08 — the number is corroborated consistently across multiple independent secondary sources describing the same stable FDA guidance. Re-checked in the Phase Next verification pass (2026-08-13): FoodSafety.gov still returns 403 to automated fetches (same corroboration basis as before, not a new gap), the suitableSpeciesIds -> species.ts foodUseStatus restriction was independently re-verified with zero violations across all 12 recipes, and the recipe detail page's per-species AdvisoryNotice/mercury-caution wiring was confirmed to render correctly.
Suitable for: Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flounder, Spot, Croaker
Advisory exists — review official guidance.
James River (tidal) (I-95 bridge in Richmond downstream to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel) — PCBs and Kepone: Under 32 inches: no more than 2 meals/month (PCBs). 32 inches or longer: do not eat (PCBs) — larger, older fish carry more contaminant. A separate Kepone advisory for this stretch caps all species at 1 meal/day; follow whichever limit is more restrictive for the fish you've caught.
Advisory exists — review official guidance.
James River (tidal) (I-95 bridge in Richmond downstream to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel) — PCBs and Kepone: No more than 2 meals/month (PCBs). A separate Kepone advisory for this stretch caps all species at 1 meal/day; follow whichever limit is more restrictive.
Advisory exists — review official guidance.
York River and tributaries — PCBs and mercury: No more than 2 meals/month.
Advisory exists — review official guidance.
York River and tributaries — PCBs and mercury: No more than 2 meals/month.
Data not yet verified.
This site hasn't checked for a fish-consumption advisory covering Flounder yet. That is not the same as confirmed safe — check current official guidance before eating your catch.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb fish fillets, cut into large chunks
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 3 cups fish or seafood stock (or clam juice + water)
- 1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Steps
- Render bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp; remove bacon, leave the fat.
- Sauté onion and celery in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add potatoes, stock, Old Bay, and thyme. Simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 12–15 minutes.
- Add fish chunks and simmer gently 5–8 minutes until the fish reaches 145°F and flakes apart.
- Stir in cream, season with salt and pepper, and top with the reserved bacon.
Substitutions & notes
- Swap heavy cream for whole milk for a lighter chowder, or omit dairy and use extra stock for a broth-style version.
Safe handling: Refrigerate or ice your catch within 2 hours of catching it (within 1 hour if it's above 90°F outside) — bacteria multiply fastest in the window between catch and cooking. Cook to a safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork, per FDA/FoodSafety.gov guidance. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw fish and other foods to avoid cross-contamination.
Allergy notice: Fish is one of the FDA's nine major food allergens (FALCPA / FASTER Act) — check with anyone you're serving before making this. This project hasn't checked every ingredient below against other common allergies (dairy, gluten, shellfish in a shared kitchen, etc.) — read the ingredient list yourself if cooking for someone with a dietary restriction. Also contains dairy (unless substituted) and pork (bacon).