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Perfect Corn On The Cob

No more mushy over cooked corn with my easy fool proof cooking method. This Perfect Corn On The Cob is easy and fast and lends crisp tender kernels every time.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 132 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 fresh ears of corn, shucked and rinsed under cold water
  • melted butter optional
  • kosher or sea salt and black pepper optional

Additional toppings

  • fresh herbs - chopped parsley, basil, chives and tarragon all work well with corn
  • grated parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

  • Fill a large stock pot with water, leaving room for the water to rise after adding the corn.
  • Bring water to a boil.
  • Drop halved or whole corn in the boiling water.
  • Bring the water back to a boil and start timing 2 minutes.
  • After the 2 minutes drain off water, add melted butter, and place lid back on until ready to eat. Corn should be eaten within 10-15 minutes at this point so it's still nice and warm when consumed.
  • Add additional toppings if desired. See notes below.

Notes

Tips:
Cooking tip- Corn should never be left in the hot water after it's finished cooking. This will continue to cook the corn resulting in over-cooked, mushy kernels.
How to store uncooked corn- 
  • Shuck corn and remove all corn silk (hair) and rinse thoroughly.
  • Pat dry the cobs with a paper towel and place in a sealed airtight bag.
  • Refrigerate for no more than 2-3 days before cooking.
No need to add salt and vinegar- Contrary to popular belief, vinegar is used to tenderize the corn and the salt is meant to bring out the flavor. When corn is cooked perfectly it's always tender. And because we add salt over our buttered corn, we don't need the extra salt in the water.
Adding fresh herbs- Fresh herbs are a wonderful way to enhance and brighten the flavor of the corn. Use fresh parsley, basil, chives, and tarragon. Add herbs to the buttered corn just before serving.
Seasonings and cheese- Grated parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper is one of my favorite combos. Using grated parmesan creates little salty bits on the corn which is absolutely delicious. Cayenne pepper will add a touch of heat. Add the cheese and cayenne pepper to buttered corn after you've removed it from the pot and plated it.  
 
Nutritional facts include 1 corn on the cob without butter or toppings. 
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Keyword Butter, Corn, Corn on the cob, Herbs, vegetables