Corn on the cob
My husband only wants to microwave the corn cobs (sans husks) and all the methods on the web vary wildly by type and timing. Any defintive ideas out there? Thanks and have a great 4th!
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14 Comments:
Why?
izatryt at 6:22PM on 07/04/08
steam them for a few minutes, boil them for a few minutes, grill them in husks for a few minutes. If you have good fresh corn you only need to cook for a few minutes (like 10) to retain the crunch, you could eat them raw if you wanted.
the_o at 6:33PM on 07/04/08
i usually just boil them for a few minutes. then slater em with butter and salt liberally. yum!
lexophile at 7:59PM on 07/04/08
How about the microwave? Still need help cause we know the other methods but thanks for your suggestions.
bessfour at 8:58PM on 07/04/08
Again, why the microwave???
izatryt at 9:05PM on 07/04/08
Microwaving corn on the cob seems like the height of idiocy. Husk the corn, put it in cold water and bring the water to a boil, turn the heat off immediately and serve the corn with loads of butter and a little salt.
fewteeth at 10:29PM on 07/04/08
I find that cooking corn in the microwave is pretty uneven.
I'll do in on the rare occasion that I just want ONE ear of corn cooked for me, and I brilliantly think that this is easier than boiling water, but then I'll end up having to fiddle with the corn, to get it all cooked...and the the cob itself often gets way too hot, which is a whole other eating problem.
In the end, I'll usually think that I should have just steamed or boiled the darned thing to begin with.
Cooking more corn the in microwave doesn't make it cook more evenly. And I don't think it's my microwave -- I've been through several microwaves over the years.
If you're determined to cook the corn in the microwave, the best of the worst methods involves wrapping the corn so the steam stays in. So, soak the corn in water, keeping the husks on, but removing the silk first, then wrapping that whole thing in plastic wrap. Really more trouble than it's worth, and you have to unwrap steaming corn to check to see if it's done. Yeah, that's good.
Or wrap the corn in waxed paper. Which works fairly well at keeping moisture in, but I'm not terribly fond of eating wax if I don't have to. And again, if you need to check the corn to see if it is all cooked, you have to unwrap it, so it's really not convenient.
And it still cooks unevenly.
dbcurrie at 1:38AM on 07/05/08
Bess, I would suggest since all you really have to do is get corn hot to eat it off the cob, try nuking it in 10 second intervals and turning it to keep the heating even. I've never cooked corn that way, but I worked with an older lady that used to do that and she swore that worked best for her. good luck!
huneybumper at 9:17AM on 07/05/08
Hi Guys...I'm not the one who wanted to nuke the corn. I pleaded with him to just the boil the damn things but NOOOOOOOOO. He had to microwave it. Turned out pretty well, too. Put six ears in a hefty ziplock bag with a couple of tbls. water and cooked on high for 2 minutes an ear. No muss, no fuss, no pot to clean and saved energy too, not to mention heating up the kitchen.
Thanks for all your help.
bessfour at 9:51AM on 07/05/08
Our pastor's wife recommended microwaving and it came out quite well when she did it. I don't remember the exact timing, but keep the husk ON and turn the corn in the middle of the cooking!! If I remember correctly, it's actually easier to peel the corn once there is steam inside, and the corn is more easily separated from the silk.
Maybe 6 minutes with a turn in the middle? It'll depend on the microwave strength...
luswim06 at 10:12AM on 07/05/08
Husks removed, ear slightly damp, wrapped in film. 2 ears: 5 minutes on high, and I have a carousel in mine so I don't have to turn them. Heating up the kitchen on a steamy evening is not my idea of fun. If I'm cooking for a crowd, I'll do it, but otherwise, why spend the time and use extra water and power? I'm a traditionalist in a lot of things, but not in that.
lemons at 10:44AM on 07/05/08
When you boil corn use salted water and put a couple of tablespoons of sugar in the water. Sugar keeps the kernels crisp.
Calichef at 6:38PM on 07/05/08
Don't let all these serious gourmands put a damper on your microwaving corn aspirations; we do it all the time when we want corn on the cob and aren't planning on using the grill. We just cut an inch or so off the top and the bottom and pop it in the microwave for a few minutes. Remember, you can eat corn raw, so you don't have to worry about cooking it so much, just getting it to temperature.
Leaving the husk on steams the corn in it's husk with the moisture already present (you can soak the husk quickly before it goes in the microwave if you choose), adding a little more corn flavor and ensuring an even steam.
Microwaves aren't for cooking, but they are for heating edible items. I'd never cook food in one, but I would heat food up in one.
jonathankavner at 11:02AM on 07/07/08
I don't like to boil vegetables because I feel a lot of goodness gets wasted in the water. For corn on the cob, I use a 400 degree pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes and just roast them. I don't have a microwave and never felt the need for one.
SavtaShayna at 1:11PM on 07/09/08