How to make tough corn soft. How to boil corn

Corn is considered excellent dietary product, and precisely in boiled it is easily absorbed by the body. It seems that to prepare a popular delicacy, it does not take any culinary experience. 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. Most delicious cobs, the so-called "milky ripeness", can be found on the shelves only in season. It usually starts in July and lasts until the end of September. For keeping young tender corn they don’t lay, so in the cold season we will only be able to 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. tastiest sugar varieties. 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, they emit white, thick juice. grains old corn have dents, look slightly dried up, 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, an ear boiled unpeeled will bring more benefit and it will 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. Under the Bonduelle trademark from the French company of the same name, frozen and canned vegetables. 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 others, no less 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 maximum amount 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. Costs fodder corn much cheaper than canteen. This is due to the capriciousness food varieties that require special conditions cultivation.

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 pan, but you can also use alternative ways: double boiler, slow cooker, oven or microwave. Last option will be the fastest, but 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.
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.

Reached full maturity sweet corn it will take 40 to 60 minutes.

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. At long-term storage, the sugar contained in the grains is converted into starch, which is why the nutritional value product falls.

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 - cast iron pan with tight fitting lid.

It is advisable to cook enough corn to eat at one time. boiled cobs poorly stored 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 won't fit.

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 either in a sleeve for baking, or in a regular plastic bag and tightly tie 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 worthy replacement. Peeled cobs can be tightly wrapped in moist paper towel and so cook.

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. Place the peeled cobs in a deep container suitable for microwave oven and completely filled 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, only instead of the usual kitchen utensils use the bowl of the 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 is sure to please adherents healthy eating. 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 delicious 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 for the family more often, this is simple and healthy treat. Bon appetit everyone!

Grill with hot oil

We lower the cobs directly with the leaves into the water for about 15 minutes. Then turn the leaves off and grease with slightly melted butter, mixed in a blender with pepper and other spices dear to the heart and stomach. On a preheated grill, cook it until the desired browning. And then we grease it with the remaining oil - and eagerly snatch it from each other with shouts: “Do not give more than one corn in one hand!”

Bake in the oven with herbs

Salt softened butter and mix with crushed garlic, chopped dill, parsley, basil, thyme and other available herbs. We grease the peeled cobs, wrap them in foil, put them in a mold - and send them to a preheated oven for half an hour. Aroma - rock!

Roasted Corn Salad

If you are the owner of an iron will and are ready to delay the pleasure a little, you can use baked corn for salad. In this case, you can bake cut grains on a baking sheet. In 10-15 minutes, they'll be ready to be reunited with cherry tomatoes, basil, onion rings (oh, if it's marinated a bit!) and almond petals. The food of the gods as it is.

Fry with bacon

Welded to half-cooked corn or cut into portioned pieces and wrap each in a slice of bacon (for convenience), or wrap a few pieces on each cob (for beauty). Now salt and pepper, in a hot frying pan for 8 minutes - and voila! Hearty invigorating breakfast is ready more interesting than scrambled eggs. Or a delicacy for beer and TV series.

summer corn soup

We take a couple of ears of corn, a couple of potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and onions. Boil potatoes and carrots with peeled grains for 20 minutes, then we send fried onions with stewed tomatoes there. If desired, along the way, you can add everything that is suitable in the refrigerator - for example, bell pepper or beans. And finally, green. Benefits and ease - almost unbearable!

Creamy Corn

We cut the grains from the cobs and fry in a mixture of vegetable and butter for 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Now salt and pepper, add a bag of cream and half a cup of water or broth - and cook, stirring, for another three minutes, until thickened. Now sprinkle the dish with grated parmesan - and go to seduce someone. Only the heartless are capable of not being seduced by such ambrosia!

Preserve for the winter

It’s better to take baby corn - well, or you can cut young, freshly picked cobs into pieces. We clean, wash, dry - and put in sterilized jars. Pour hot marinade from water with salt, sugar and vinegar. And sterilized for about two hours. Now you can roll up, turn over, cool - and wait a long time winter evening when you want to resurrect fresh taste late summer.

Halva from corn

Soak the corn kernels overnight, and then boil in the same water until they turn white. Boil honey (the ratio is about 1:2 with corn) until a drop of it breaks in cold water. Now corn - in honey, thoroughly shake until smooth and let it cool. You can pour syrup or some other delicious topping.

homemade popcorn

It can be prepared from dried (or even frozen) corn kernels. We put 2 tablespoons of oil on the bottom of the pan, when it is hot - pour the grains in one layer, cover with a lid and fry over low heat, shaking slightly along the way. After a couple of minutes, "explosions" will be heard. You can fry the next portion! If you add spices to the oil, you get flavored popcorn - and at the same time completely natural.

The taste of corn is a taste familiar from childhood. Now we buy it more often in canned for salads and other dishes, but sometimes there is a desire to boil the cob and eat bright yellow grains, after sprinkling them with corn and please yourself and your loved ones with an unusual taste?

Determine the age of the fetus

Cooking time for corn will depend on how ripe it is. The older and harder the cob, the longer you will have to wait. Young ones cook rather quickly and taste more juicy. The age of corn cannot be determined by the open end, as that is where the kernels are soft and sometimes not even quite ripe. It is necessary to slightly move the leaves of the cob and check the ripeness of the grains at its very base.

So, we need a pan, preferably with thick walls, cold water and washed cobs. Whether or not to deleaf them depends on how quickly you plan to eat the corn. If immediately after cooking, then it is more logical to remove them, if you plan to store it for some time in the refrigerator, then it is better to leave the leaves in place. By the way, the shelf life of cooked corn is two days. After this time, the fruit will lose its taste, and at the same time it will disappear. beneficial features. So,

1. Pour cold water into a saucepan and place the cobs in it. They must be in " free swimming and be completely hidden under the liquid. If the corn is very large and does not fit in the pan, then it can be cut into two parts.
2. Salt and other seasonings should not be added to the water in any case, as they make the cobs tougher. They can be used after cooking corn. Some lovers add a little sugar to the water - this is acceptable, to taste.
3. If the corn is young, then after boiling it can be removed from the heat and served on the table. Cooking time is 10 to 20 minutes. If you are a fan of denser grains, then this will be enough. If, on the contrary, it is more loose and soft, then you can increase the time to 40 minutes, but do not abuse it.
4. How to quickly boil corn? You can determine the readiness quite simply: the fruit will acquire a bright yellow uniform color of the grains, a specific pleasant smell will appear.
5. To better salt the cobs, you can rub the corn with salt and spices and leave for a while so that they are absorbed into the grains as much as possible.

The cooking time of an overripe fruit will be much longer - from 30 to 45 minutes. Readiness should also be checked by color and smell.

How to quickly boil corn, you now know. It's time for some tips.

• To give extra taste corn can be covered with a small layer of finely grated cheese.
• If you are a fan of fried, then you can lightly fry on big fire with addition vegetable oil in the skillet, turning occasionally.
• Try making Mexican corn. To do this, the cooked cob needs to be smeared lemon juice and sprinkle with salt on top.

It's time to remember how to properly cook corn on the cob. But first, taste it raw - you might like it better this way.

Juicy, fragrant cob corn, sprinkled with salt on top and flavored with butter, reminiscent of childhood, when he was the height of pleasure. Today we will cook milk corn on the cob together, exactly the same as in childhood.

How to choose the right corn

In the market, check that the grains on the cob are soft, when pressed on them, liquid should be released. Give preference to uncleaned specimens from stigmas and leaves, as they prevent from drying out. After the purchase, do not delay cooking: the faster you cook, the tastier it will turn out.

Ingredients:

• Corn cobs - 6-8 pcs.
• Water - 4 liters.

How to cook corn on the cob?

Remove all leaves from the cobs, as well as corn stigmas. Do not throw away green, young leaves, they will be useful to us for cooking corn. Corn flakes - very useful product, used in medical purposes as a diuretic.

Preparations based on corn stigmas have antioxidant properties, have a beneficial effect on metabolic processes in the body, reduce blood sugar levels, and improve the functioning of the liver and pancreas.

Take a heavy-bottomed pot (preferably). It can be an enameled, cast iron or aluminum pan with a large diameter. Put the kettle on to heat up, and in the meantime, put green corn leaves, pre-washed, on the bottom of the pan. The entire bottom should be filled with leaves. The more leaves left during cooking, the juicier and more aromatic the corn cobs will be.

If there is a lot of corn, lay several layers, shifting them with leaves. So, alternating cobs and leaves, fill the entire pan.

Do not add salt when cooking! Better salt the already cooked hot corn!

When all the corn is in the pan, pour boiling water from the kettle and put on fire. Boil the corn on the cob for 20 minutes, then turn off and let stand in the water for another half hour.

Corn cobs should be completely covered with water. In order to prevent them from floating up, you can put an inverted plate on top or just cover with a lid.

Salt the cooked corn, rubbing salt grains evenly over the entire surface. Then take a piece of butter and run it over the cob so that the butter is absorbed.

How long does it take to cook corn?

Young milk cobs are boiled for no longer than 20 minutes. If you got forage varieties with hard grains, it may take 40 minutes. How to distinguish fodder from dairy? The more intense the color of the grains, the longer heat treatment will be needed. To test the readiness of corn, break off a few kernels and taste them.

Corn kernels can be harvested for the future if they are scraped off the cooked cobs with a knife and placed in a plastic bag or container. In winter, you can use corn for stews, pizza, any other second and first courses. If your freezer has a lot of space, you can freeze raw cobs and cook in the winter.

How do you cook corn? Are there any secrets in your family? Share in the comments!
On our You Tube video channel, I posted step by step video recipe about how to cook corn properly, I wish you a pleasant viewing!

Many sprinkle corn with cheese, pepper, water with brine. What additives and spices do you like? I would love feedback on the recipe. All the best!

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How to choose the right corn, as well as how much to cook it to make the product soft and tender enough - read in this article.

Boiled corn - favorite summer dish many people. As soon as it ripens in the garden or appears on the shelves, we immediately bring it home.

Corn is not only very tasty, fragrant and juicy, but also very useful for the human body. It contains vitamins such as: B, C, D, K, PP, composition: copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, glutamic acid, etc.

How to choose corn for cooking

Fresh and young corn should be bought in the season, which will end no later than August. If bought later, the fruit may be hard or overripe.

If you cook corn, it is better to use cobs with milky-light or white-yellow grains. If the grains are soft and elastic, located close to each other and have the same size, then such corn will be very juicy and tender. A strong yellow hue indicates that the cob is quite old and can taste tough.

Also look at the leaves, they should be yellowish and dry. Don't buy leafless corn and make sure the kernels are round and without dimples.

How to prepare corn

1. Rinse the cob under clean water, and also clean the leaves from various dirt or rotten leaves.
2. Also, before cooking, it is recommended to soak the corn in not too cold water for 1-2 hours.
3. Cobs of the same size are boiled together. Too large cobs, it is desirable to divide into two equal parts.
4. If the corn is ripe, then many housewives first clean the cobs from fibers and leaves, then cut them into 2 parts and fill them with a special mixture. The liquid is prepared from cold water and milk in a ratio of 1:1. IN this mixture put the corn for 4-6 hours, and then the plant can be boiled in ordinary water.

How long to cook corn by time

Before cooking corn, it is necessary to determine its ripeness. Young cobs are boiled for no more than 30 minutes, and ripe fruit must be boiled for about 40 minutes. Cobs that are too ripe tend to take more than 2 hours to cook.

The plant must be dipped already in boiling water and salted preferably only 3-5 minutes before readiness or at the time of serving.

To give the corn a juicy and delicate taste, it is recommended to add some butter or sugar to the water. Also, do not cook the plant over high heat, after boiling, reduce the heat to low.

• See also -

After cooking, eat corn immediately, you can eat it with oil and salt. Don't leave it in the refrigerator as it will harden.

How to cook delicious corn - video