When the garden was slowing down and the evenings started to cool, a simple pot like this was the kind of supper that stretched a dollar and filled every chair around the table. This stovetop 5-ingredient bacon Bronson is an old-fashioned, chowder-like soup built from pantry basics and a little bacon drippings magic, with tender potatoes and sweet late-summer corn simmered into a thick, creamy potful that tastes far richer than it ought to for so little.
This is a meal that hardly needs much beside it, though a skillet of cornbread, a pan of buttermilk biscuits, or plain saltines are mighty good for sopping up the last spoonfuls. If you want to round it out, sliced tomatoes, cucumber pickles, or a simple green salad bring a fresh bite that suits the richness of the bacon and creaminess of the soup.
Stovetop 5-Ingredient Bacon Bronson
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky bite-size pieces
4 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 cups milk
Directions
1. Set a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the chopped bacon until it is browned and crisp, with plenty of drippings rendered into the pot. Scoop out a small handful of bacon for the top if you like, leaving the rest in the pot.
2. Add the diced onion to the bacon drippings and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and beginning to turn golden around the edges.
3. Stir in the potatoes and corn, then pour in enough water to just barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a gentle boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
4. Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to lightly mash some of the potatoes right in the pot. Pour in the milk and simmer gently for 5 to 8 minutes more, stirring often, until the broth turns creamy and slightly thickened. Do not let it boil hard once the milk is added.
5. Taste and serve hot, spooned into bowls and topped with the reserved crisp bacon if you set some aside.
Variations & Tips
Thicker Pot Supper: If you like a chowder that nearly stands up on the spoon, mash more of the potatoes before adding the milk. That is the old kitchen trick that gives body without needing flour.
Fresh Corn Version: When sweet corn is in season, cut it straight off the cob and scrape the milky bits in too. That little bit from the cob gives the soup extra sweetness and makes the broth taste more like late summer.
Stretch-It-Further Tip: This pot was made for feeding a crowd. Add an extra potato and a splash more milk if you need to make it go farther, and serve it with bread to turn a modest soup into a full supper.