Name: Sheepshead (Fish) Chowder with Leeks, Fresh Dill and Lemon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds fresh sheepshead fillets (or any firm-fleshed white fish); 1/2 cup chicken broth; 2 8- oz bottles clam juice; 1/2 teaspoon Italian hot pepper flakes; sea salt and pepper to taste; 2 small red potatoes diced in 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups ( no need to peel)); 2 medium leeks (white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)); 2 large ribs celery (thinly sliced, about 3/4 cup); 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 cup all purpose flour; 2 cups whole milk; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pin119

Yum30

Share6

Flip

155 Shares

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Sheepshead Fish Chowder was the first recipe we posted on All Our Way. We thought it would be great to bring forward. It is a fantastic seafood chowder and very easy to make. With Fall fast approaching this is a hearty satisfying soup. Try it — we guarantee you’ll love it as much as we do.

For this recipe, you will need fish fillets, chicken broth, clam juice, hot pepper flakes, red potatoes, leeks, celery, unsalted butter, flour whole milk, bay leaf, heavy cream, fresh dill, lemon juice, salt, pepper.

A fisherman dressed in blue shirt and blue shorts holding a sheepshead which is a black and gray striped fish.

Sheepshead Catch

A white fish for a delicious fish chowder

You might ask,”Sheepshead! What can I do with that funny looking fish that looks like a zebra?”

There is quite a bit that can be done since it is a very mild, firm-fleshed fish. You can use it for:

a fish chowder.
bake it.
fry it.
use it for sashimi.

Sheepshead Fish Chowder in a brown bowl with green dill garnishing the side and slices of baguette bread on the side of the bowl.

Sheepshead Fish Chowder with Dill

We decided to make a recipe for fish chowder but later we’ll post the secret to frying the best, the crunchiest fish or chicken you ever ate.

Yes, we’re bragging! But it’s THAT good!

You will notice that in Italian cuisine they use lemon quite often. The reason is that Italians love the fresh taste and brightness the lemons give their food.

Two brown bowls filled with sheepshead fish chowder with a green sprig of dill on the side of the front bowl, 4 baguette slices surround the bowls that are placed on a green dish towel.

Sheepshead Fish Chowder with Lemon and Dill

Fish chowder is just one soup in our roster

We enjoy making soups. They are satisfying nourishing, and economical. You can take a piece of meat and add barley some liquid to it and you have an old-fashioned stick to the ribs Beef Barley soup.

And if you don’t have time you can purchase a rotisserie chicken and make soups in no time like Roasted Chicken with Vegetable Soup and Chicken Spinach Tortellini Soup.

Don’t let the list of ingredients of this seafood chowder scare you! The Sheepshead Fish Chowder goes quickly and it’s a matter of just tossing them in. After all, the entire recipe takes 30 minutes.

You can’t go wrong with a spicy fish chowder!

If you like fish, check out these reader favorites

Sea Trout Baked In Spicy Lemon Butter Sauce

Southern Italian Grilled Tuna Steaks

Baked Cod Puttanesca | Seafood With An Italian Spicy Sauce

These are just a sampling of all the wonderful seafood recipes we have. Be sure to take a look!

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima. YOU MAY NEED . . . The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Thanks so much for being a part of All Our Way!

This is the exact size Dutch Oven we use all the time. Its home is on our stove top. If we aren’t making soup we’re using it for some other dish. We’d be lost without it. We added some other items we used.

Sheepshead (Fish) Chowder with Leeks, Fresh Dill and Lemon

A wonderful tasty chowder made with a firm white fish - Sheepshead. It is seasoned with leeks, celery, dill and lemon

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: camping, game fish, summer

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 409kcal

Author: All Our Way

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh sheepshead fillets or any firm-fleshed white fish
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 8- oz bottles clam juice
1/2 teaspoon Italian hot pepper flakes
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 small red potatoes diced in 1/2 inch pieces about 1 1/2 cups ( no need to peel)
2 medium leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 large ribs celery thinly sliced, about 3/4 cup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Cut fish into chunks and set aside.
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook stirring, until veggies are tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. You don't want the "raw" taste of flour.
Slowly whisk in the milk, broth, clam juice, hot pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes and bay leaf, simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. The last two minutes of simmering add the sheepshead.
Finally add the cream, dill, and lemon juice, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with the sea salt and the freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

Delicious served with crusty Artisan bread.

Nutrition

SaveSave