Corn On The Cob
Ingredients
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- 4 quarts water
- 4 ears corn on the cob – husks and silks removed
- unsalted butter – softened (for serving)
- kosher salt – to taste (for serving)
- black pepper – freshly ground (for serving)
Instructions
1. Shuck the corn on the cob, removing all silks; trim any protruding stem ends.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot over high heat.
3. Add the ears, cover, and return to a boil; uncover and cook 3–5 minutes until kernels are bright and crisp-tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
4. Use tongs to lift out and drain well; let excess moisture steam off for 30–60 seconds.
5. Serve hot with unsalted butter, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste.
Corn on the cob is a simple celebration of peak-season sweet corn: juicy, tender kernels that pop with natural sweetness and a gentle, grassy aroma. Brief cooking keeps the texture crisp-tender and preserves sugars that can dull with overcooking. It’s often finished with a swipe of butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, letting the corn’s flavor lead.
Maize has been a staple in the Americas for millennia, domesticated in Mesoamerica and later spread across North America. Sweet corn varieties, developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, made eating fresh corn on the cob a summertime tradition in the United States and Canada. Today it’s a fixture at cookouts, fairs, and roadside stands, with countless regional toppings and methods, from boiled to grilled to steamed.