Corn on the cob is a summertime staple at our house.  All 6 of us love it…which is a feat of superhuman strength in our family of selective eaters!  No matter where you’re eating or what the occasion, there’s an easy way to cook it!  My favorite way is to bake it because it takes NO prep and gets perfect results every time. 

This corn was cooked using the baking method.  The silks come right off with the husks!

Bake:
Place whole, un-shucked ear of corn on the rack of a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.  Shuck hot corn (careful, it’s very hot!), the silk peels away with the husk.  So easy!

*NOTE* I like to remove the external silks and leaves that stick out.  I just quickly tear them off…it takes about 5 seconds per ear.  I have baked corn many times both ways, but I just like having a cleaner ear going in the oven.

*Thanks to the comment from Sue for changing my corn on the cob life! 

Boil:

With water already boiling: Place ears of shucked corn in a pot of boiling water. Cook it 5-10 minutes. Remove the corn earlier if you like it more firm.

Starting with cold water: Place corn in a pot of cold water. When water reaches boiling, the corn will be cooked.

*Adding 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to the cooking water will make your corn even sweeter. Do NOT add salt to the cooking water, it will toughen the kernels. Salt your corn after you’ve slathered it in butter.

Microwave:

Place 2 to 3 ears of corn in a microwave-safe dish. Add 2 Tablespoons of water. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening in one corner to vent steam. Microwave on high 4-6 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap.

Grill:

In Foil: Rub some butter onto your cob. Place on a sheet of aluminum foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly in the foil and grill 10 minutes on med-high (about 350-400 degrees) on the top shelf of your grill. Turn and grill another 5-10 minutes, or until you can hear sizzling and popping noises. Corn will stay warm for 20-30 minutes wrapped in the foil.

In the Husk: Peel husk back (but do not remove) and remove silk. Rub some butter on the corn and sprinkle with salt and pepper (or do it after it comes off the grill). Other spices, garlic, or onion may also be added. Replace husk back over corn, and tie the end with a piece of twine. Place on grill for a couple of minutes, turning to avoid over-charring, then place corn on top shelf (or indirect heat) for another 15 minutes or so. You can also soak the corn for 15-20 minutes before you grill it. It steams the corn, and cooks it a little faster.

*The first time we grilled corn, I tied the tops of half the husks and left the other half open. Tying it steamed the corn more, which I really liked.  I didn’t have any twine, so I used some old twist ties (from a bread sack), and it worked great!  

Pressure Cooker:
Place shucked corn on the trivet in your pressure cooker. Add one cup of water. Cook at high pressure for 2-3 minutes, then quick-release the pressure. 

And for your viewing pleasure (okay, really just for mine), here are rather unappetizing pictures of corn that I posted 5 years ago.  But those babies!  It’s hard to believe time can really go that fast…my big kids were just tiny!  *sniff*