Getting Corny...
We’re a bit corny every day, but even more so today because it’s National Corn on the Cob Day! It likely gets its own day of recognition due to it's popularity - especially in the United States. But all corn on the cob isn't equally delicious. Here are tips for corn on the cob perfection:
Selection
Try to select sweet corn picked as recently as possible. Food science shows an ear of corn can lose up to 25% of its sweetness in a single day once picked. We suggest sourcing your sweet corn from a local vendor or farmer's market, where the corn is picked fresh daily.
Cooking
We most frequently prepare corn on the cob by boiling it. For best results with this method, choose a large pot to fill 3/4 full of water. Add salt and bring to a boil. While you wait, clean the ears by removing the husks and silks. Once you've achieved a rolling boil, add your cleaned ears of corn. Cook for approximately 5 minutes (cooking too long results in tough kernels).
If you're short on time or just feeling a little lazy and don’t need to make more than a few ears, try the microwave method. Simply toss an ear of corn in the microwave and cook on high for 3-4 minutes. Remove carefully (it's darn hot), place on a cutting board and use a knife to cut off the bottom of the ear of corn (stem end). Then just pull the husks and silks off - it's super easy. We recommend using a towel to hold onto the husk so you don't burn your fingers. The 3-4 minute cook time is for one ear of corn. Add 1.5 – 2 minutes for each additional ear.
Seasoning
For us, this is the fun part. Great corn on the cob frequently starts with a good slathering of melted butter. For a dairy-free option, try our Butter Infused Olive Oil. It’s flavored with plant extracts – no dairy is involved in its making. Place a dish of it in the refrigerator if you prefer a solid (like a stick of butter). If you like things spicy, use our Chipotle or Harissa Infused Olive Oils.
From there, plain old salt seems to be what most folks do. But we like to get a little fancy with our flavors. Here are our favorites:
Smoked Bacon Salt: Bring a bit of smoky, bacony goodness to the table by subbing in our Smoked Bacon Salt for table salt. A healthy seasoning with this salt can make a few ears feel like an entire meal.
Cape Cod Seasoning: If you’ve ever experienced a New England seafood boil, you know exactly how this will taste. Our Cape Cod Seasoning combines salt, pepper, mustard, paprika, celery seed and a pinch of cayenne pepper and other spices, creating a flavorful and savory blend with just a bit of a kick to it.
Fajita Seasoning: It may sound odd, but our Fajita Seasoning is great on corn on the cob. It’s blend of salt, pepper, onion, garlic and other herbs and spices add a bit of depth and flavor compared to an ear seasoned with table salt.
Worcestershire Powder: Yes, really. This dried version of the popular liquid condiment is both sweet and slightly sour with big flavor. If you enjoy Worcestershire Sauce, you’ll love a sprinkle or two of this on your corn.
How do you prepare your corn on the cob? What’s your favorite way to season it? Share your tips with us in the comments below.
We like to cook our corn on the grill. Just remove the loose husk pieces and cut the silks sticking out. Otherwise, you want to keep the remaining silks and husks on the corn while you cook it to retain moisture. Cook for 20 minutes turning halfway through at 375. I top it with butter, freshly snipped basil and you could add a sprinkle of Hickory Barbecue blend seasoning.
My Corn On the Cob cooking method is a bit slower than Microwave, but lots faster than boiling, and the result is identical to boiling…I stick it in my Pressure Cooker(presently that’s a Ninja Foodi, but I’ve done the same thing with an Instant Pot). Cut the silk to within a half inch of the cob, and snap off the stalk as close to the cob as you can. Put the corn on a rack in the inner pot, after pouring in a cup of water. 3 ears will fit on the rack…layer them if you’re cooking more. seal the lid and set the timer for 3 minutes. I wouldn’t add more than another minute if cooking more than 3 ears. When the timer has counted down to 0 release the pressure and remove the corn to the counter (carefully, it’s hot, hot, hot) . Use a sharp knife to cut the stalk end of the ear off, then remove the ear from the husk(along with all the silk) by squeezing from the silk end. I used to only put butter and salt on my corn, but lately I’ve been using a really hot spice mix on some of it, also. Including the time it takes to come up to pressure, this only takes about 7 minutes, much faster than I’ve ever seen a stovetop pot that’s big enough to do the job come to a boil.