Cast Iron Clam Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon bacon grease
2 potatoes, chopped
3 carrots, chopped, or more to taste
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced, or more to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 (6.5 ounce) can clams, liquid drained and reserved and clams chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup corn

Preparation

Heat bacon grease in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic until onion is soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add flour, salt, garlic powder, liquid smoke flavoring, and black pepper; stir until vegetables are evenly coated.
Pour chicken broth and reserved clam juice over vegetables; cook at a simmer over low heat until potatoes and carrots are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in cornstarch until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk and cream; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Stir butter mixture into vegetable-broth mixture; cook and stir over low heat until chowder is thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes. Mix chopped clams into chowder and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more.