Making the Perfect Corn on the Cob

Choosing Fresh Corn

Of course, you can grab a bag of frozen corn and follow the directions on the bag…how hard is that?!

But that would simply be regular corn on the cob…

We want to create the perfect corn on the cob…something out of the ordinary.

So let’s talk about how to choose the best ears of corn for making your corn on the cob absolutely perfect.

The best corn on the cob is made from the freshest ears of corn available, such as ears of corn purchased from fresh markets such as Sprouts of actual farms that sell their corn to the public.

Things to looks for…

Husk…bright green husks that are tightly wrapped around the cob that are not dried out and has plenty of silk
Kernels…firm and plump
Stems…stems that are still moist.
Tassels…sticky and moist.

Another thing to look for is any sign of wormholes, worms, and bugs….

If you can get by with it, ,peel back the tops of the husks to check the tip of the corn cob.

While you are getting by with this, also check to see if the ear is well-filled and the kernels are colored creamy yellow or white.

Be careful not to pull the husk back too far because it will serve as a protective covering when you are cooking it.

And finally, if absolutely no one is looking, pierce a kernel with your nail to see what the iquid inside the kernel looks like…if it is watery, it’s not ready yet…if it’s white or milky-colored, the corn is ripe and ready.

Plan of cooking two ears of corn per person.

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Storing Corn

Store corn in the refrigerator in its husk….wrapped tightly in damp paper towels and then placed in ziploc bag.

Corn will keep for about three days.

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Shucking Corn

Now that you have chosen what you believe are the perfect ears of corn, the next step is to figure out if you need to remove the ear’s natural protective covering…which consists of two parts—the husk and the silk.

The husk is the corn’s greenish, papery outer part.

The silk is the soft, stringy layer beneath the husk.

This process is called shucking.

And whether or not you need to do this will depend on which cooking method you will be using…so more on this later.

To shuck corn, first peel back the husk leaves one at a time until only a thin layer of leaves remains…making sure that the tassel stays intact….then grab the tassel along with

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Cooking Corn on the Cob

As far as when you actually peel the husk and silk, before or after, this actually depends on the cooking method that you will be using.

Once all of your corn has been shucked, ..or not, depending on whart methoed you are planning on using to cook your corn…it’s time to start…

he tops of the last layer of leaves and pull down.

Now remove all of the silky threads from the ear.

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Boiling Corn on the Cob

Boiling corn on the cob is probably the most common cooking method used to make corn on the cob. Boiling the corn gives it both great flavor and great texture.

The steps to boiling cvorn on the cob are…

Shuck the corn…(as explained above)..
Fill a large Dutch oven about half full of water. Aa far as adding salt to the water, don’t…Adding salt can make the corn tough….but do try adding sugar to the water if you want to sweeten the corn a bit more.
Bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
Many people prefer to cook their cotrn on the cob with a cup of milk and a stick butter instead.
Once the water is boiling, carefully add the corn to pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium.
Add the peeled corn on the cob.
Cover and return to a boil.
Cook for about seven minutes. If you overcook the con, it will get too mushy. You will know that your corn is ready to eat because yellow color of the corn will become more intense.

Remove the corn on the cob from the hot water and enjoy.

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Grilling Corn on the Cob

Whether or not you shuck the corn before placing on the grill is totally up to you….but many people claim that cooking the corn in the husk directly on the rack is the best method.

If you grill corn on the cob with the husks still intact, the husks will not only protect the corn from direct heat, but also lend a nice smoky flavor to the corn…but many people preer to grill corn on the cob after shucking it so that they can char the kernels.

- 1. Heat up your grill.
- 2. If you have decided to shuck the corn, do it now. If you are planning on cooking the corn with the husks intact, go ahead and remove all but the innermost husks from the corn.
- 3, Fold back inner husks. Remove corn silk,,.brush the corn with olive oil…and then sprinkle with salt.
- 4, Rewrap the husks around the corn.
- 5, Grill the corn over medium heat, covered, for about fifteen minutes…until the corn is tender and the husks are slightly brown.
- Serve immediately.

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Steaming Corn on the Cob

First shuck the corn…and depending on the size of the eats of corn, you may also need to cut the corn in half.

Place steamer basket in large stockpot or Dutch oven.

Add about 2″ water…being careful not to add so much water that the water does not rise above the steamer basket.

Place steaming basket and then corn into the pot.

Cover the pot.

Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

Heat on high until the hot water starts to steam.

Cook the corn until the kernels are tender, about five minutesheat.

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Oven Roasting Cotn on the Cob

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Shuck the corn.

Place the shucked corn in the center of aluminum foil, large enough to completely cover the corn….also placing butter, salt, and pepper in the foil over the corn if you would like.

Tightly wrap the corn in the foil.

Cook for about thirty minutes.

Let corn cool for at least five minutes before opening.

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Microwaving

Place unshucked corn on a microwave safe dish.

Cook about five minutes…until kernels are tender.

Cool corn for five minutes before removing the husk and silk.

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Instant Pot Method

Shuck the corn.

Pour 1C water into the Instant Pot.

Place the metal trivet on top.

Add the ears of corn.

Allow about fifteen minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up and start actually pressure cooking…until the actual time starts on the display.

Cook at high pressure for two minutes.

Quick release the pressure.

- Use an oven mitt or towel to slowly and carefully twist the steam release handle on the lid to “Venting” position. The initial release will spray some moisture around the pot so be careful.
Carefully remove the lid, opening the top away from you as steam will be released from the pot.
Remove the corn and serve immediately.

One thought on “Making the Perfect Corn on the Cob”

Barbara Lane
December 15, 2019 — 2:24 pm


Corn on the cob is one of my favorites! Thanks for all the great info on this wonderful food!

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