Corn on the cob

I've been eating a lot of corn lately, and I know that people like to dress it up in various ways. I knew one person who liked it plain jane. Butter and salt is my minimum, but I prefer to add a dusting of cayenne pepper. I've seen people use Frank's hot sauce and even (close your eyes, Jenice) mayonnaise, etc., etc.

What do you like?

Cooking tip: I'm sure I mentioned this before, but my receptionist turned me onto cooking corn in the microwave. One unshucked ear for 3 minutes on high (I zap two for 6 minutes). Then shuck the corn and add whatever. It's the easiest way I've ever used, and it works perfectly. FWIW, I eat corn like a lathe; Edie eats it like a typewriter and leaves square cross-section cores.

Agreed that butter/salt are the minimum. Black pepper is good, paprika is good, lime juice and cotija are good.

I am also a fan of the microwave method.

I eat wherever it's cool enough to get in without hurting myself.

Sorry, corn -on or off the cob- is not for me.

I wondered if it was because the cobs I tried were not fresh enough, so one year I grew them. Couldn't be fresher. Yuck.


BTW - shouldn't this thread be in Forum Kitchen section?

Maybe an admin can move?
We sometimes do the microwave method, it's fast and easy way to do steamed. But my preference is grilled (shucked with a little oil, then I don't need butter). S&P is good, Tajin is a nice switch.
Larry mentions mayo, Jeff mentions lime and cojita, combine them for elotes!
Oh, and I think I usually do pole to pole (typewriter).

Sorry, corn -on or off the cob- is not for me.

I wondered if it was because the cobs I tried were not fresh enough, so one year I grew them. Couldn't be fresher. Yuck.


BTW - shouldn't this thread be in Forum Kitchen section?

Must be an American thing. Of course, there's a big difference between sweet corn and field corn (aka dent corn). Do you remember the variety you planted?

I'm with Peter. I don't care for cooked corn, either on or off the cob, with one exception: the baby corn cobs seen in East Asian dishes.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

Maybe an admin can move?

Ooops, sorry, just now picking up on this. Here we go!

[Robin Garr]

What do you like?

Elotes!

What do you like?

Elotes!

Some months ago, a friend and I each bought a bag of Mexican-street-corn (elotes) flavored tortilla chips. The first bite was, "Wow! That's really corn flavored." But after a few more chips, the obviously synthetic street-corn flavor was so overpowering, neither of us could finish our bags. The birds got mine.

[Robin Garr]

Elotes chips? That would make me wary, Larry!

Elotes chips? That would make me wary, Larry!

I'll never buy that flavor again! Yuk.

Put me in the "all of the above" category. If the corn is really good, you don't even need butter, although I pretty much always use it along with salt and pepper. Elotes are great. Haven't gotten to Tajin yet, although I'm sure it's good, too.

My standard these days is to slice off the kernels and then sautee, usually in butter. But the best may be when I eat what remains of the fresh raw corn off the cob after slicing off the kernels. So pure!

Must be an American thing. Of course, there's a big difference between sweet corn and field corn (aka dent corn). Do you remember the variety you planted?

I don't remember the variety, it was over 40 years ago, but as I bought the seeds in a little packet fom a rack of seeds fore the garden, it wasn't a farm variety.

I don't care for cooked corn, either on or off the cob, with one exception: the baby corn cobs seen in East Asian dishes.

Oh yes! I get a pack of baby corn and mange tout when I make a vegetable curry.

In Ohio, the couplet everyone knew was "knee-high by July", which was a sign that the growing season was decent. Around here you have folks planting in August or even later because it never freezes, but the peak of the summer corn season is definitely over by August. We've been lucky enough to find a source for good, clear-tassled ears even now, though.

I forget where I found this recipe, but it's a stunner, IMO. Gives it a little smoke, a little steam, and a little grill.

Gently shuck corn until one or two thicknesses of husk remain. Remove tassel and any stem, but don't remove the silk underneath. Fill a vessel and submerge corn for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium heat. Grill 4 minutes on each of the 4 sides. The husk should blacken but not burn and the corn should get some grill marks. Let sit for a few minutes, then shuck and de-silk (because there is char and silk everywhere, I do this outside). Serve with a little bit of butter and salt, or optionally mayonnaise, Tajin seasoning, and cotija cheese.

I love the sweet white corn on cob, wrapped in a damp paper towel, put in microwave until you smell the sweetness. Cool a bit, then start chewing. Delicious!

I love the sweet white corn on cob, wrapped in a damp paper towel, put in microwave until you smell the sweetness. Cool a bit, then start chewing. Delicious!

Have you considered just leaving the corn in its husk before microwaving? It just seems more natural to me, might add to flavor, and saves an extra step.

I like corn whether it's yellow, white, or bicolor.

I like corn whether it's yellow, white, or bicolor.

Yes, I don't find the color very important or predictive of taste. It's much more about specific varieties/farmers and how the corn looks/feels on the day.

[Jenise]

My standard these days is to slice off the kernels and then sautee, usually in butter. But the best may be when I eat what remains of the fresh raw corn off the cob after slicing off the kernels. So pure!

Same. I sometimes eat the whole ear raw, especially when I get a younger ear. There's almost no vegetable that I like cooked that I don't also love raw.

I sometimes eat the whole ear raw...

Nice!!

Taste depends a lot on where the corn comes from, different soils, methods...I like the local corn I can get here, unless it is organic from the store.

There's almost no vegetable that I like cooked that I don't also love raw.

For me there are many vegetables that I prefer eating raw to eating cooked. Carrots are one of them.

-Paul W.

On the flip side, I love eggplant but not so sure about eating that one raw!