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How to Cook Sweet Corn on the Cob

Sweet corn is my family’s favorite whenever it’s summer; the cob’s delicious corn can be prepared either on the grill, in the oven, or inside a pot. And it doesn’t matter where it is cooked, because you would always get a deliciously tasting corn if you know how to do it right.

If you still struggle with making delicious sweet corn, look no further because you are in the right place. This article contains tips and guidelines to help you elevate your sweet corn game. I’ve also included a table to indicate how long sweet corn needs to be cooked, and lastly, this article contains a quick and easy sweet corn recipe to get you in the mood when you are short on inspiration.

How To Cook Sweet Corn On The Cob (2)

Sweet Corn Nutrition Facts

How To Cook Sweet Corn On The Cob

Tips for Cooking the Perfect Sweet Corn

Cooking sweet corn on the cob is very easy, although if you still don’t know how to go about it, follow these simple guidelines:

Remove the husk from your corn – If you purchased your corn cobs from the store, you might not necessarily have to dehusk your corn because it has already been done. But if you are working with fresh corn (which is way cheaper than store-bought corn), removing the stem and husk would be the first thing to do because the corn husk is not edible.

Pro-tip: do not husk your corn until you are about to use them because leaving them without the husks may make them drier than usual.

Wash your corn –  Just before throwing your corn into boiling water, make sure you wash your corn. This doesn’t require much time, as you can get it done in a minute or two. While you wash the corn, you may want to pick out as much silk as possible from the corn.

Pro-tip: wrap your hands around the corn and rub them back and forth repeatedly to help remove the silks more effectively.

Use enough water – Another problem most food enthusiasts face is undercooked corn cob. The best way to fix this issue would be to tackle it. You have a better shot at a well-cooked corn cob by completely covering your corn cobs in water. I would recommend 8 cups of water for four average-sized corn cobs.

Get the right temperature – It is important to allow your water to come to a boil before throwing in your corn cobs. And because your corn cobs will cause the temperature to drop once it hits the water, it is good to allow your corn cobs to come to room temperature before cooking them. When you add your corn cobs to your water, bring the water to a boil for the second time and simmer for the rest of the cooking time.

Cook with an equal amount of milk and water – most sweet corn recipes would require you to boil the corn cobs in milk to make the corn much sweeter; well, while this might be true, if you boil milk, you would notice that the milk tends to spill over, and this would create a mess in your kitchen. The best thing to do here is to use half part milk and half part water. The water could restrain the milk from boiling over.

Add a natural sweetener – sweet corn on the cob would not be complete without a sweetener like sugar, but using a natural sweetener like honey would make your corn much sweeter. And while you’re at it, you should also include a stick of butter for a creamy texture.

Use an aluminum foil – If your corn cob recipe involves cooking it in the oven, you should wrap your corn in aluminum foil to help distribute the heat evenly throughout the corn.

Cooking Time for Sweet Corn in Cob

Cooking Procedure

Cooking Time

Boiling sweet corn cob on the stove

5 to 10 minutes

Cooking sweet corn cob in the oven

40 to 45 minutes

Grilling sweet corn cob

20 to 30 minutes

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How To Cook Sweet Corn On The Cob (2)

Quick sweet corn on the cob with onion sauce ( 2 to 3 servings)

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Remove the corn cobs from the packaging and give it a quick wash. While you wash the cobs, remove the corn silks with your fingers.
  2. Cut or break the corn cobs in half. This is necessary because it will be served in small batches.
  3. In a pot, pour in 7 to 8 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
  4. Once the water hits a boil, add in your corn cobs and some salt, and allow the water to come to a boil for the second time. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes until the corn cobs become soft and tender.
  5. Next, Make a quick paste by grounding five green chilies, seven garlic cloves, and 1-inch ginger. Also, make another paste by soaking ten cashew nuts in warm water and grounding them up afterward.
  6. Once that is done, pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a pan and set to medium-high heat.
  7. Once the oil is heated up, throw in 3 finely chopped red onions and sauté until the onions become soft and pink (do not caramelize or burn the onions)
  8. Add three teaspoons of your chili-garlic paste and three tablespoons of the cashew nuts paste you made earlier. Also, reduce the heat to low or medium because we don’t want the cashew nuts to paste to get burnt.
  9. Keep sauteing until the water separates from the solids.
  10. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of cream, add a teaspoon of salt, and mix thoroughly.
  11. Please turn off the heat, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon; keep on stirring the mixture to work the lemon juice into it.
  12. Allow the sauce to cool down completely. Next, pour into a food processor and ground until it becomes a smooth paste. Pour this paste over your corn cobs and finish off with any garnish.

This sweet corn in the cob recipe is very simple and can be prepared in a very short time; feel free to try it out whenever you need to try something new. If you would love to see other recipes ideas, check out this video recipe.

  • Author: Bobby