Corn on the cob

[GeeBee]

Here in Ohio, we love corn on the cob as a side dish for about any meal. I've searched for years for a good cooking method. Most involve boiling water, etc. My wife saw a local chef on a local TV show with a method that was stunning (to us anyhow). I've tested it extensively and decided to post it here so you all can try it. It really works and is pretty amazing, if you ask me.
You start with fresh corn, still in the husk, straight out of the field (I wish) or the grocery store. Then, with a sharp knife, cut off the stem end of the ear. The key here is, make sure you cut enough off. You must see kernels of corn showing after you've made the cut. I still sometimes cut them a little short, which makes extraction a little difficult. Then you microwave the ears of corn. We do 2 ears at a time for 5 minutes, because it's just me and the DW. You could probably do multiple ears at a time, but may have to lengthen the cook time a little. After the microwave, use a towel or a hot pad, be careful, the ears are very hot, holding the silk end in the towel, you squeeze out the ear of corn. It's hard to describe in words, but you're pushing the ear of corn out of the husk. Net result, a perfectly cooked ear of corn with NO SILK on it. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[Smokster]

Who would have guessed to use this method. So quick and easy.  Thanks for the post.

 

[bigbassnutt]

I have never heard of doing it this way, looks quick and easy, gonna have to try it.

 

[DivotMaker]

Cool!  Gotta try this.  I HATE getting the silk off!

 

[GeeBee]

The silk coming off is the most amazing part. I used to stand next to the little old ladies with too much perfume, at the grocery store, picking off silk. No more. I grab the number of ears I want and I'm gone.

 

[mnsmoker]

Going to try this method have microwaved before but never with the husk on and the silk is always a pain, plan on eating alot of fresh coc as we have 80 acres sweet corn 75 feet from the front door!!

 

[GeeBee]

Jim, I'm envious. My DW could eat corn on the cob every meal. I too was skeptical about this method until I tried it. Just a note, it took me a couple tries to get it right. The biggest problem I had was how much to cut off the end. If you don't cut enough off, the ears will be hard to get out of the husk.

 

[DivotMaker]

I have to try this, but have had a hard time finding corn that isn't trimmed on the tassle end!  Arghh!  Right after you posted this, and I read it, I was on YouTube, looking for something totally unrelated...what pops up, in the "recommended for you" section?  Your corn shucking method!!  I swear, "they" know what we're looking at all the time!  Kinda freaked me out, to be honest!  I've never searched for anything like this!

 

[GeeBee]

That is scary. Maybe NSA is watching me and I don't know it. Enemy Of The State is one of my all time favorite movies. ;D

 

[DivotMaker]

I was in the Intel biz for many years in the Air Force, but that even spooked me a bit!  It was way too "coincidental!"

 

[WeekendWarrior]

I wonder if you could inject it with a butter, salt and pepper mixture before cooking.

Popping it out of the husk already buttered and seasoned would be quite the party trick.

 

[GeeBee]

I doubt that would be possible. I'm no scientist, but I think the way this works is the friction of the husk grabs the silk and pulls it off as you squeeze the ear of corn out. Just guessing.

 

[DivotMaker]

I tried the nuke in the husk method tonight!  Variation:  Don't cut the end off before nuking!  I threw 3 good-size ears in the microwave without cutting either end.  12 minutes (4 min each), pulled them out and cut the stalk end off.  Out they came, just as advertised!  I think we found a total of 2 silks, which is better than shucking before cooking!  Pretty cool technique, and cooking in the husks adds a little flavor to the corn.  I'm a believer!

 

[NDKoze]

I tried it last night with and without cutting prior to nuking and don't see the benefit of cutting after nuking.

Tony, what's the purpose behind waiting to cut the end off?

BTW, the corn turned out awesome! What a great trick.

 

[GeeBee]

My wife said she saw another post by someone on Facebook that cut the end off after nuking. I don't see an advantage, other than maybe easier to cut? I do see myself getting burnt trying that method. Those puppies are hot when they come out of the microwave.

 

[NDKoze]

My wife said she saw another post by someone on Facebook that cut the end off after nuking. I don't see an advantage, other than maybe easier to cut? I do see myself getting burnt trying that method. Those puppies are hot when they come out of the microwave.

That was my thinking too. It is hotter and softer after cooking. Tony's probably got some reason for doing it that way. But I can't think of what it may be.

 

[DivotMaker]

Well, didn't mean to create such a controversy!  lol! :-[  No, I was all ready to try the cut first method until I saw some folks do it without.  My thinking was there would be less moisture-loss (mess) by cutting after.  I used my insulated BBQ gloves, so I wasn't worried about the heat.  You have to handle them anyway to get the corn out, right?  I just laid it on the cutting board, quickly sliced the stalk off (soft and easy), and squirted it out! 

I'll try it "cut first" next time to compare, but the bottom line is it works!  No matter how you "slice" it! ;D

 

[Pork Belly]

I saw this on an internet video about the same time this conversation started. In the video they cut it after it was cooked and it looked pretty slick.

 

[NDKoze]

Not really a controversy. I was just wondering why you thought cutting after was better. 

In the end I don't think it really matters.

One thing I did find out is that you have to squeeze them out right away. If you wait too long, they are hard to squeeze out.

 

[DivotMaker]

I agree, Gregg!  You're right about getting them out quick, too!