- 4-8 ears of corn, still in shucks
- large pot with tight fitting lid
Bring 8 cups of water to boil. Drop in cleaned corn, turn off heat, cover and allow to “cook” 3-5 minutes.
This recipe came from a local farmer who sold produce in farmer’s market stalls almost every day of the year. The trick is to get really good, fresh corn. Don’t buy frozen corn on the cob and don’t buy corn on the cob that has already been shucked. Both are sure signs that you are getting not-so-fresh corn.
Corn on the cob rivals baked potatoes and steamed spinach or broccoli as the easiest-to-fix hot vegetable. The first few times you shuck the corn, it may take some time to get the motions down, then it becomes really fast and easy to prepare the cobs for cooking.
To buy fresh corn, look for a strong green color on the shucks. Over-ripe corn shucks begin to fade from green to yellow to pale gold. The shucks should also be wound tightly around the corn, protecting the cob like a warriors surrounding treasure. Look for silks that are turning brown, a good sign that the corn is ripe. To prevent surprised, peel back a little of the shucks at the silk end. You should not see any discoloration on the corn and the kernels should be full almost to the tip end of the cob. If you find one that has rot at the tip end or where the kernels seemed to stop filling out 2-3 inches from the tip end, just put it back and try another cob. Some farmers markets and many grocery stores will put compost containers out when loads of fresh corn arrive. Many customers will shuck their corn right there in the store or at the market.
Don’t be tempted to follow their example; shucked corn is going to start drying out you can get it home. Just keep your shucks on.
Cook your corn within 24 hours of purchase. Fill your largest pot that has a tight fitting lid 3/4 full with water. Place on the stove on high heat. While the water comes to a boil, shuck and silk your corn. First pull off the green shucks. Start at the tip end with the silks hanging out. Peel away part of the green and find the inside shucks. Pull on these with the rest of the shucks and you’ll have shucked your entire cob in one or two pulls. The shucks will not want to come off the base end of the cob. That’s okay, you are going to break off the base end anyway. Hold the naked corn cob with one hand and fold the peeled shucks away from the base. Grab the folded-back shucks close to the base of the cob. Fold in your two fists with a quick movement, like you are closing a big clam-shell phone, breaking off the base/shucks end from the cob. De-silk the cob by peeling off the silks. If you have a vegetable scrubber, run the cob under water and scrub away at the silks. You won’t ever get all of them no matter what kind of tool you use. Let each person deal with remaining silks while they are eating.
After you have shucked all your corn, your water should be boiling. Drop the corn cobs into the boiling water. Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the warm burner until you are ready to eat (but not more than 15 minutes). Remove the corn from the hot water with tongs and serve plain. Some people will want to butter their corn, some will add salt and pepper. Before you add any thing at all, savor the crisp and natural flavor of the just-cooked corn.