Mrs. Trefry’s Fish Chowder
This fish chowder recipe seems interesting to me. You take a whole haddock and then remove the head and cut 4 slices of the meat from it. What is remaining is the base of your dish. I personally have never handled cooking a whole fish, so I have no tips to help with it. When I see fat pork in a recipe, my mind goes to bacon. If anyone thinks that is wrong, let me know in the comments.
Fish Chowder Recipe
Take 4 slices of steak from a 3-pound haddock, remove the head, take what is left and boil in 1 pint water. When cooked, strain. Have ¼ pound fat pork fried out, 2 nice onions, chopped and fried in it, add that to the strained liquor, with 3 medium sized potatoes, sliced. When cooked add a pint of milk which has come to a boil, and when that boils, add the white parts of the fish left on the bones that was boiled; last, salt and pepper to taste, a piece of butter and a little cream if you have it. I put a tablespoon of butter. It is an English receipt and the best I ever tried. The slices of fish can be fried, as they are not needed in the chowder.
Mrs. A. Trefry, Cambridge – Boston Post – 14 Feb 1904

Fish Chowder by Mrs. Trefry
A Fish Chowder recipe from 1904
Ingredients
- 3 lb haddock whole
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 lb bacon
- 2 small onions
- 3 medium potatoes
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tbsp butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Take 4 slices of steak from a 3-pound haddock, remove the head, take what is left and boil in 1 pint water. When cooked, strain.
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Have ¼ pound fat pork fried out, 2 nice onions, chopped and fried in it, add that to the strained liquor, with 3 medium sized potatoes, sliced.
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When cooked add a pint of milk which has come to a boil, and when that boils, add the white parts of the fish left on the bones that was boiled; last, salt and pepper to taste, a piece of butter and a little cream if you have it. I put a tablespoon of butter.
Recipe Notes
It is an English receipt and the best I ever tried. The slices of fish can be fried, as they are not needed in the chowder.