How to cook corn: useful tips. How to cook corn correctly and how much time - important tips

In order for boiled corn to meet the expectations of your taste buds, you need to choose the right cobs in a store or market. The most delicious are sold until the end of August. Later ones may be overripe and tough.

You can check the age of corn by crushing one grain. Young seeds will ooze a white liquid resembling milk.

Young corn with grains of milky white or light yellow color is ideal for cooking. To the touch, the cob should be soft, but at the same time elastic. The grains should fit snugly together and be about the same size.

Pay special attention to the leaves. In good corn, they are green, dense, fresh.

The Perfect Cob / butimhungry.com

Do not buy corn without leaves. Perhaps the seller deliberately removed them to hide the poor quality of the goods from you.

How to cook corn on the stove

Boil water in a saucepan and drop the corn into it. It is not necessary to remove the leaves: when cooked, they will add additional flavor and juiciness to the corn. But it is better to get rid of the stigmas. The ears must be the same size so that they cook at the same time.

Young corn is cooked for 20-25 minutes, mature - at least 2 hours.

To speed up the cooking process of old corn, you can soak it in water for 2-4 hours in advance. The grains will soften and cook faster.

Closer to the end of cooking, take a sample from the dish: pry one grain with a fork and bite through. If it is soft and juicy, the corn is ready. Drain the water, cover the pan tightly with a lid and wrap with a towel. Wait 10-15 minutes. Such evaporation makes the corn more tender in taste.

Free the cooked hot corn from the leaves and serve. Salt and butter - to taste.

How to cook corn in the microwave

Peel the corn and soak in cold water for 1 hour. Then put it in a plastic bag, pour 2 tablespoons of clean water at room temperature there. Tie the bag tightly and poke a couple of small holes in it to allow the steam to circulate. Send the cobs in a bowl, it - in the microwave. Cook for 15 minutes at maximum power.

You can cook even faster. Wash cobs, remove leaves and fibers. Wrap the corn tightly in a paper towel dampened with water and place on a plate. Select the maximum power and send the cereal to the oven for 5 minutes. All! The corn is ready.

Remove the corn from the microwave with tongs: the dish is very hot.

How to cook corn in a slow cooker

Clean the cobs of fibers and leaves, wash thoroughly. Pour water into the multicooker up to the maximum mark, put corn inside. If the ears do not fit into the bowl as a whole, cut them into several parts. Select high pressure mode, set the timer for 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, remove the corn, let it dry a little, season with salt and oil to taste.

How to cook corn in a pressure cooker

Clean the corn from all excess and wash. Put the cobs (whole or chopped) in the bowl of the household appliance. Cook the corn on maximum power if the pressure cooker is electric, or medium heat if it is mechanical. Cooking time - from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the age of the ears.

Eat hot corn immediately after cooking. When cooling, the grains lose their juiciness and harden.

How to cook corn in the oven

Grease a deep baking dish with butter. Put the washed and peeled corn from the leaves and stigmas there. Pour warm boiled water so that the cobs are half in it. Cover the mold with a sheet of foil. Send the corn to an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 40 minutes if the cereal is young, and for 120 minutes if the cobs are ripe. Add salt to the finished dish.

Corn is considered an excellent dietary product, and it is in boiled form that it is most easily absorbed by the body. It seems that no culinary experience is required to prepare a popular delicacy. But it is not so. First, you need to know how much to cook corn, depending on its variety and degree of ripeness.

Secondly, it is important to choose the right product when buying, otherwise you will have to tinker with it to bring it to the desired taste and softness. What should be paid special attention to?

How to choose corn for cooking

1. The most delicious cobs, the so-called "milk ripeness", can be found on the shelves only in season. It usually starts in July and lasts until the end of September. Young, tender corn is not stored for storage, so in the cold season we can only purchase specimens with hard, hard grains that will have to be cooked for a long time. Naturally, the benefits of such a product will be minimal, and gastronomic pleasure too.
2. You should pay attention to the color of the grains. It should be milky yellow or golden, but not amber. Saturated hues indicate that the corn is either overripe or feed.
3. The sugar varieties are the best. Such corn can be safely consumed even raw - it is soft, tender and sweet in taste. If there is no way to try the product when buying, you need to gently squeeze the largest grains with your fingers. In young cobs, they are elastic and dense, and when the shell breaks, white, thick juice is released. The grains of old corn are dented, look slightly dried out, and there are often gaps between them.
4. Another important indicator is the leaves. If they are withered, wilted, thinned, it should be understood that the cob is already overripe, it will turn out to be hard and heavy for the stomach even after a long boil. The leaves of milky corn are rich green, tightly adjacent to each other. It is important that they do not have any damage.

Attention!

Sometimes on sale you can see completely peeled corn. It's better to bypass it. Most likely, the product was actively processed with pesticides, which did not have the best effect on the leaves, so they were removed. In addition, the cob, boiled unpeeled, will bring more benefits and be more fragrant.

The best varieties of corn: the secret of "Bonduelle"

Let's start with the revelation. The Bonduelle variety, which is often lured to us - gullible buyers, market marketers, does not exist in nature. Frozen and canned vegetables are sold in our stores under the Bonduelle trademark from the French company of the same name. Among them is corn, really very tasty, tender and sweet.

Therefore, when we are offered “that same Bonduelle” on the market, we immediately fall for the bait and buy a fairly expensive product. In fact, the French company uses the early sugar varieties "Bonus" and "Spirit" for preservation.

There are other, equally delicious varieties. For example, domestic varieties and hybrids, which can cost less, are in no way inferior to foreign ones in taste and benefits:

• "Dobrynya"
• "Gourmet"
• "Sandes"
• "Early Golden"
• "Pioneer"
• "Jubilee"
• "Ice Nectar"

The latter variety belongs to the late-ripening and is considered one of the sweetest. Cobs can be eaten raw, which allows you to get the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals.

When choosing corn, you should not blindly trust its name, which, as we have already seen, may turn out to be false. You need to pay attention to the signs of ripeness and quality described above.

Feed corn, more familiar and familiar to us from childhood, can be found in August at grandmothers in the market. It is quite edible, but unlike food, it is rich in starch, has a coarser texture of grains, and therefore it takes a long time to cook - from 2 to 3 hours.

How not to make a mistake by buying fodder cobs instead of delicacy?

1. Let's take a look at the form. Table corn is smaller and slightly barrel-shaped. The so-called fodder - elongated.
2. In fodder cobs, the grains are darker in color, often have an orange tint. Their taste is not pronounced, it is difficult to chew raw pulp.
3. The grain size of sweet corn is larger and more convex.
4. Feed corn costs much less than table corn. This is due to the capriciousness of food varieties that require special growing conditions.

How to cook

The "Queen of the Fields", despite its high origin, is undemanding in cooking. The easiest way is to cook it in a saucepan, but you can use alternative methods: a double boiler, slow cooker, oven or microwave. The last option will be the fastest, but is only suitable for young sugar cobs.

The royal person also has his own culinary secrets:

1. The cob does not need to be cleaned before cooking. As a rule, only 2 - 3 top sheets are removed, while the rest, if they are fresh and not damaged, are left.
2. It is recommended to hold the corn in cold water for an hour and only then cook it. The grains will acquire a special softness. Overripe specimens of table varieties are placed in milk, half diluted with water, and left for 4 hours. After that, they cook much faster.
3. In order for all cobs to “reach condition” at the same time, they must be the same size. Therefore, too large break in half.
4. Put the product in cold water, not boiling water. Important: you need to salt the corn only at the end of cooking. Otherwise it will be tough. And it is better to rub the cobs with salt just before use.
5. After boiling water in a pot with corn, the fire should be reduced so that the heat treatment process is gradual.
6. To improve the taste, you can add a little sugar and a piece of butter to the water.
7. Drain the water from the pot with the cooked corn, and then wrap it tightly in a blanket for about 30 minutes. The cobs from this become softer and more tender, acquire a rich aroma.

How much to cook

The cobs of table varieties are prepared most quickly in the stage of milky ripeness. 20 minutes is enough for them. It is also not worth cooking the product for too long, otherwise you can get the opposite effect: the grains will harden and become dry.

Sweet corn will take 40 to 60 minutes to reach full maturity.

Forage varieties are boiled for at least 2 - 3 hours.

Check readiness by pressing the grains. If they become soft, it's time to serve the corn to the table.

It is better to treat yourself to cobs while they are hot. Cooling down, corn grains become viscous, starchy.

Cooking methods

The most delicious and healthy will be corn cooked on the day of purchase. With prolonged storage, the sugar contained in the grains turns into starch, causing the nutritional value of the product to decrease.

Cooking on the cob in a saucepan

The dishes should be thick-walled, preferably wide, so as not to break the cobs. The best option is a cast iron pan with a tight-fitting lid.

It is advisable to cook enough corn to eat at one time. Boiled cobs do not store well and lose their taste.

Sequencing:

1. We clean the corn from all leaves or remove only the top ones, depending on their condition. In both cases, carefully wash the product, remove the stigmas.
2. You can lay out the bottom of the pan with leaves, place the cobs on top and cover them with a second layer of greens. I don’t like this method - we cook only the edible part (grain). Pour water so that it completely covers the product.
3. We cook corn depending on the variety and degree of maturity. Before boiling - the fire is moderate, after we make it weaker.
4. When the grains soften, drain the water and let our summer dish cool a little. Serve with salt and butter.

in the microwave

Attention!

For overripe corn or fodder varieties, this method is not suitable.

Recipe number 1. In the package

The method is very fast and convenient. You don’t have to mess around at the stove, torment the family in anticipation, and then clean the pan. The only negative is that you can’t cook a large portion at a time.

1. After removing all the leaves, wash the cobs well under running water.
2. You can rub them with salt and dry spices, if desired.
3. We put it either in a baking sleeve or in a regular plastic bag and tie it tightly so that the moisture released during the cooking process remains inside.
4. With a power of 800 W, the cobs of milky ripeness will cook in 10 minutes.

Recipe number 2. in the leaves

In this case, the corn will be steamed. It is important that the leaves fit snugly on the cob and are fresh. Sluggish and dry must be removed.

1. We cut off the ends of the prepared unpeeled cobs and put them in a glass flat plate, trying to place them at some distance from each other. Attention: some housewives, trying to cook as much corn as possible at a time, put it in several layers. As a result, the product remains half-baked. Quality is more important than quantity here.
2. Boil the cobs in the leaves for 3-5 minutes at maximum power. It is recommended to turn them over.
3. At the end of cooking, the leaves are not removed immediately, waiting a few minutes for the corn to finally “reach”.

Recipe number 3. Under a paper towel

The leaves have a worthy substitute. Peeled cobs can be tightly wrapped in a damp paper towel and cooked like that.

Recipe number 4. In a container of water

This method will take twice as long, but there is no risk of overcooking the product.

1. We place the peeled cobs in a deep container suitable for a microwave oven and completely fill it with water. We don't salt!
2. We cover with a lid and cook at a power of 700 W, 20 - 45 minutes, taking into account the degree of maturity and quantity.

Periodically you need to add boiling water, as the liquid will evaporate.

Corn removed from the microwave is very hot, it must be allowed to cool or use special holders while eating.

In the oven

Peeled (if you wish, you can leave part of the leaves) and prepared cobs are placed in a baking dish, previously greased with butter.


Next, pour boiling water flush with the product (no need above). Cover the container with foil, sealing the edges so that steam does not escape and send it to the oven, heated to 180ºС for 40 - 60 minutes.

In a slow cooker

The algorithm of actions is the same as when cooking in a saucepan, but instead of the usual kitchen utensils, we use a bowl of a multifunctional electric assistant.

1. We clean the corn from the leaves, wash it well, remove the stigmas and cut off the conical top.
2. We load it into the multicooker bowl and pour cold water, making sure that it covers the cobs on one side, and on the other does not exceed the maximum allowable mark.
3. We close the lid and set the program "Cooking vegetables" or "Soup". We cook young ears for 15 - 20 minutes, mature ones - twice as long.

You can add corn leaves to the bowl. The taste of the dish will be richer, more varied. The leaves are washed and placed in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then half of the greens line the bottom of the bowl, and the rest is placed on top of the cobs. In this case, the water should completely cover the resulting "sandwich".

Cook, as in the first version.

In a double boiler

The following method will definitely appeal to adherents of a healthy diet. However, we will make a reservation that fodder varieties or overripe cobs, therefore, are better not to cook.

There are two options for processing corn in a double boiler:

• in general
• grains

Attention!

When cooking, do not use all levels of the steamer. It is more correct to place the cobs in one layer, so they will be processed evenly and there will be no damp areas left.

Whole ears are cleaned of leaves, if necessary, divided into several parts and placed in a steam basket.

Processing time is 35 - 40 minutes.

The grains are laid out in a thin layer and steamed for 15 minutes. After turning off the timer, you need to let the product brew a little.

In a pressure cooker

Those who have this miracle device can safely cook any corn - both canteen of any degree of ripeness (including overripe), and fodder.

It is necessary to ensure that the cobs are completely under water.

With milky ripeness, the product is cooked for 10-15 minutes, in other cases it will take 40 minutes.

Corn from a pressure cooker is very fragrant and sweet. Forage varieties will become tastier if you add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of sugar.


We looked at the main ways to cook corn. This unique cereal crop is tasty on its own and does not need to be “overloaded” with spices. However, if desired, you can add exotic notes with oregano, a mixture of peppers, dried garlic or lime.

Let's cook this simple and healthy treat for the family more often. Bon appetit everyone!

Boiled corn is a great addition to almost any dish. Very nutritious and tasty, it has long been taking its place of honor on our table in the summer. How to cook corn on the cob so that they turn out really tasty?

How long does it take to cook an ear of corn?

First you need to find out what variety the corn bought on the market belongs to. There are special varieties for eating, and there are fodder for animals. How long does it take to cook food grade corn? It is softer and half an hour is enough, but coarser fodder will have to be cooked much longer - from two to three hours.

If you bought corn on the market and already at home found small multi-colored grains on the cob, leave it. This variety is intended for making popcorn.

The most important advice on how to properly boil corn is as follows: the cobs are boiled for about 20 minutes and after this time they are completely softened for eating. If you miss this point, the corn becomes tough again and then the cooking time increases significantly.

Fans of experimenting can be offered an interesting way of cooking in the oven. We rub the cobs with butter and wrap them in foil with a sprig of dill. To add a spicy taste, you can grate a little garlic.

How to cook fresh corn?

With the cooking time decided, now you need to choose a cooking method. It is best not to discard the leaves when peeling cobs. Leaves need to be washed under a stream of warm water and laid on the bottom of the pan, already on top lay the corn and pour everything over with water.

We put the pot on the fire. After the water boils, you need to salt it. To give a richer taste to the water with salt, you can send some spices, for example, allspice peas - this will give a spicy and very appetizing aroma.

It is correct to cook corn in a thick-walled pan, as the cooking time takes a long time. Close the lid tightly. Very good to cook in a cast iron pan. It is perfectly acceptable to cook corn in a double boiler or in a microwave oven. It is very easy to cook corn in a pressure cooker, as it saves both time and effort. It will only take 5-10 minutes.

Keep in mind that after cooling, the corn will immediately begin to harden, which will be an unpleasant surprise for your teeth. It is best to serve boiled corn immediately after cooking, while still hot. To keep the cobs longer retain their aroma and softness, grease them with butter. It also enhances the taste significantly.

For gourmets, you can serve corn sprinkled with grated cheese. In order not to make a mistake when buying and choose soft corn, pay attention to the cobs and leaves: they must be intact and bright green.

How to cook old corn?

If you find dimples in the center of the grains, then the cobs are definitely old. You can cook them, but they will be tougher, regardless of the time and method of preparation.

Cooking fresh corn is much easier as it is tender and cooks very quickly. But it happens that fresh and juicy corn begins to age over time. How to cook old corn? If the hand does not rise to throw out, you can correct the situation using little tricks.

You need to cook old corn in the same way as young corn. The only difference is the cooking time. If the cobs have lain for only a couple of days, it is enough to increase the cooking time by 20 minutes. But for cobs that have been lying for a week, you will have to increase the cooking time by an hour and a half.

Important and very useful tips for all hostesses on how to cook corn properly.

Boiled corn is probably one of the most beloved inexpensive summer dishes by many. Fragrant, juicy, tasty and satisfying boiled corn we remember from childhood. By the way, corn has many beneficial properties for the human body. It contains vitamins of groups B, C, D, K, PP, as well as magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, phosphorus, glutamic acid and many other various useful substances.

Preparation of corn for cooking consists in the fact that it must first be washed under clean running water and all dirty leaves removed. It is not necessary to completely clean the cob of leaves. The main thing is to remove completely dirty and spoiled leaves before cooking.

Before cooking, it is advisable to soak the corn for an hour in cool water. Cooking should be cobs of the same size, this is necessary so that the corn is cooked all evenly. If the cobs are too big, a good solution is to cut them in half.

How to boil old corn

How to cook overripe corn? Even overripe and old (that is, not young) corn after boiling will be soft and juicy if it is cooked correctly. To do this, you must first clean the cobs from fibers and leaves, then cut them in half and then pour a mixture of ordinary drinking cold water with milk in a 1: 1 ratio, that is, 1 part of milk is needed for 1 part of cold drinking water. In this milk mixture, the corn should lie for a total of 4 hours, after which it can be boiled in the classical way.

How many minutes to cook corn

How long to cook corn depends on the degree of its maturity. For example, young corn will be ready in 20-30 minutes of cooking, while ripe corn should be boiled for 30-40 minutes. Cooking time for well-ripened cobs is 2-3 hours. In this delicate matter, the main thing is not to digest the corn so that the grains do not begin to harden. By the way, young corn is tasty even without salt, tender and soft, and only thirty minutes is enough for boiling.

It is ideal to boil corn on the cob in a cast iron pot, which has fairly thick walls, with the lid of the pot closed. Corn is also well cooked in a clay pot. You can also cook corn in a double boiler and even a microwave oven. Some people manage to bake it in the oven.

How to boil corn

• Corn should be dipped in boiling water.
• Before cooking and during cooking, you do not need to salt the water, otherwise the grains will be hard.
• Salted corn is usually 5 minutes before readiness or before serving.
• You can add a little sugar and butter to the cooking water, which will give the dish a delicate taste.
• You can't cook corn on high heat. Immediately after boiling, reduce the fire as much as possible.
• Corn hardens a little when it cools, so it's best to eat it almost immediately after cooking while it's still warm.

The use of this product has a beneficial effect on the whole body, replenishes the supply of many essential trace elements. In its composition, corn contains:

Regular use of this product can bring a lot of benefits to both young and mature organisms. To do this, you need to be able to choose it and cook it.

How to choose?

For cooking, you need to choose young cobs of light yellow color with soft round grains. Checking the degree of maturity of corn is very simple. Having broken off the grain, you need to squeeze it with your fingers. If it is juicy, soft, then the cob is suitable for cooking. Hardened, dry grains with dimples indicate that the corn is overripe. It is also possible, but it will take a long time to do this, and the taste will differ significantly.

It should be remembered that it is better not to take fodder varieties of corn, otherwise the taste may be disappointing. Also, when choosing, pay attention to the leaves.

IMPORTANT! If there are no leaves on the cob, most often this indicates an increased treatment of the vegetable with pesticides. The use of such products can be hazardous to health.

An ear with green adjoining leaves, unpeeled from stigmas, would be ideal. A sign of ripeness will be yellowish leaves extending from the cob.

Sluggish foliage and lack of juiciness in the grains indicate that the cob has been plucked for a long time and is starting to dry out, which means that its taste and usefulness have suffered significantly.

Corn cobs should not be stored for a long time. They quickly lose their properties, dry out, harden, rot. Therefore, they are prepared immediately. Also, when choosing, you should try to pick up cobs of the same degree of maturity and approximately the same size, then the corn will cook evenly.

Preparation

• Before cooking, it is necessary to clean the ears of leaves and stigmas.
• Part of the leaves can be put on the bottom of the pan, so the corn will be tastier and will not stick to the bottom.
• If there are rotten grains on top, they need to be cut off, large cobs cut in half.
• After that, the corn should be soaked for an hour in cool water, then rinsed thoroughly in running water. You can do without soaking if the cobs are young (milk).

Cooking in a saucepan

Mature

For details on how to make tough corn very tasty, read on.

Steamer Recipes

Necessary:

• corn on the cob;
• butter;
• Walnut;
• ground cardamom;
• salt.

Cooking:

1. Cobs for a double boiler should be chosen young, cut into equal portions and placed on the same level so that they cook evenly.
2. Lubricate the cooking container with butter or vegetable oil.
3. Cooking time 30-40 minutes.
4. Melt 15 grams of butter in a saucepan, add 50 grams of crushed walnuts, cardamom.
5. Put the corn on a plate, season with peanut sauce, serve salt separately.

You can find out more recipes for cooking corn in a double boiler.

Watch the video on how to cook corn this way.

in the microwave

A very simple and quick way to cook cobs.

1. Unpeeled, soak them for an hour, put in a plastic bag, add 2 tablespoons of water.
2. Close the bag tightly, make 2-3 holes for steam to escape and send it to the microwave for 10-15 minutes.
3. Peel the cooked corn, brush with melted butter, salt.

Read about how to quickly cook corn in the microwave in a bag, and in you will find the best recipes for cooking vegetables in the microwave.

Grains without cobs

1. Separate the grains, rinse well, place in a bowl, pour water.
2. Cook covered for about 30 minutes.
3. Then add a little parsley, dill and butter, and boil for another 10 minutes.

Roasting

In order for the dish to turn out tasty and not burnt, you need to choose a frying pan with a thick bottom. The recipe is quite simple.

Required Ingredients:

• corn cobs - 2 pieces;
• sunflower oil - 20 ml;
• butter - 30 gr;
• salt - 1/4 tsp.

Cooking:

1. Rinse the cobs, peel, cut into portions, fry over medium heat in sunflower oil on each side for five minutes.
2. Then add 50 ml of water, reduce the heat and simmer without a lid until the water has evaporated.
3. Soften the butter, mix with salt and grease the cooked corn with it.

IMPORTANT! Only young corn is suitable for cooking in a pan, mature grains will turn out to be too hard.

In the oven

1. You will need a deep container, the bottom of which must be greased with butter.
2. Then place the peeled and thoroughly washed cobs in it.
3. Pour hot water up to the middle of the dish and cover with foil.
4. Send to the oven, preheated to 180-200 degrees for 30 minutes.

You can find out more recipes for cooking corn in the oven.

How to store ready?

better on the cob. The easiest trick is to wrap each cob with cling film and place in the refrigerator. The term for such storage is small, about three days. During this time, it is enough to heat the product in the microwave, all useful and gustatory qualities will be preserved.

In order for boiled corn to last longer, it needs to be slightly salted. Salt is a natural preservative that will help preserve the quality of the product.

For that, To keep the finished corn for a long time, you need to use freezing. Wrap each cob tightly in cling film and place in a quick freezer. Thus, the product can be stored for up to a year.

To defrost, the cob should be transferred from the freezer to the refrigerator and wait for the desired state. It is not recommended to use the microwave in this case. Proper freezing allows you to save not only taste, but also all the useful properties of corn.

IMPORTANT! In order to prevent the formation of excess ice during freezing, the cobs after cooking must be thrown into a colander and allowed to drain.

Cooking corn, as well as storing it, does not require special skills and abilities. By following simple processing recommendations, choosing recipes and cooking methods, you can get the substances and elements necessary for the body all year round by consuming this tasty and nutritious vegetable.