The winner for lake whitefish: a cream-style chowder where the fish poaches gently right in the pot. Lake whitefish is rich and flaky, so it shines in a simple broth with potatoes — no need to sear or fry first. Here’s the recipe I’d rate highest (a Wisconsin Sea Grant fisheries specialist’s version built specifically for lake whitefish), plus a classic alternative below.
Great Lakes Whitefish Chowder
Adapted from Freshwater Feasts by Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Sea Grant — ~35 min, serves 4.
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| Base | 1 Tbs olive oil · 1 yellow onion, diced · 1 bay leaf · 1 Tbs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried) |
| Broth | 4 cups water · 1 tsp kosher salt · 1 tsp Old Bay or Cajun seasoning |
| Body | 10 baby potatoes, halved · 2+ whitefish fillets, skinned, dark lateral-line meat removed, cut in chunks · 1 can coconut cream (not coconut milk) |
| Finish | Italian parsley · biscuits or crackers |
Method:
- Warm oil over medium; cook onion, bay leaf, thyme until translucent (~3 min).
- Add water, salt, seasoning, potatoes → boil, then simmer 12 min.
- Add fish chunks + coconut cream → cook 5–7 min until fish flakes (break up big pieces with a spoon).
- Taste, adjust salt/pepper/seasoning, garnish with parsley.
The coconut cream swap (instead of dairy cream) is the sleeper detail — its sweetness pairs surprisingly well with whitefish, and the pot stays a true one-pot meal.
Classic alternative: New England Whitefish Chowder
From Craig Fear’s award-winning New England Soups from the Sea via Blue Dot Living: render 4 oz slab bacon, soften onions + thyme + bay in the fat, add 4 cups fish stock and 1 lb Yukon golds (simmer 10–12 min), then 2 lbs whitefish — simmer briefly, kill the heat, cover, and let carryover cooking finish the fish. Finish with 1–2 cups heavy cream, top with the crispy bacon bits. His stock tip: use bottled clam juice or Aneto fish broth; skip most supermarket “fish stock.”
Two technique notes that make or break whitefish soup:
- Never boil the fish hard — gentle simmer or off-heat carryover keeps it silky instead of chalky.
- Trim the dark fat along the lateral line on lake whitefish — it’s where the “fishy” flavor concentrates, especially in frozen fish.
If you want it lighter, the Nordic approach (lohikeitto) adapts well: leek + potato base, milk-and-cream broth, and lots of fresh dill stirred in at the end.
Montana's outdoor week, in your inbox at 7am Friday.