Corn On and Off the Cob

Tis the season… for fresh corn, that is! It’s a good time to get into all things corn, including some corn-cooking technology and corn condiments.

According to the food technology folks at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, corn is a grass with separate male flowers (tassels) and female flowers (the ear, or the “corn on the cob” portion). There are four basic types of corn and they all have distinguishing traits and uses. You can’t pop sweet corn and you wouldn’t want to eat boiled field corn. Dent corn, is the most widely grown corn in the U.S and is used primarily for livestock feed. It contains a mix of hard and soft starches that become indented once the corn is dried, thus the name “dent” corn.

Flint corn, also known as Indian corn, has a hard outer shell and is distinguished by a wide range of colors. It is grown mostly in Central and South America and used primarily for decoration in North America around harvest time. Popcorn is a type of flint corn, but has its own size, shape, starch level and moisture content. It has a hard exterior shell and a soft starchy center. When heated, the natural moisture inside the kernel turns to steam and builds up enough pressure to eventually explode.

Sweet corn or corn on the cob, the object of our affection here, is almost all soft starch and will never pop. It contains more sugar than other types of corn. Unlike other corns that are picked when the kernels are dry and mature, sweet corn is picked and eaten while the ears are in the immature milk stage and the kernels are tender. Popular methods of cooking sweet corn include boiling, grilling, baking, or microwaving.

Corn Science

There are two objectives for cooking corn on the cob, to gelatinize the starches in the kernels, to have them swell and to minimize the breakdown of the corn’s natural pectin, so that each kernel keeps its shape. Unfortunately, at high temperatures, such as when simmering or boiling, the starches and fibers can break down, which could result in less-than-ideal cooked corn.

According to the test kitchen people at Cook’s Illustrated, the perfect corn cooking zone was a bit below boiling, from 170 to 180°F. This was high enough to gelatinize the starches but low enough to avoid too much damage to the pectin. The Cook’s Illustrated corn experts recommend a “cook and wait” method, which goes like this: bring a pot of water to a boil; turn off the heat; add corn; cover and then wait for it to cook without using any heat. This should take about ten minutes for about six ears of corn. We know you will take this into consideration when you prepare your next corn feast, thermometer at the ready.

On the other hand, great corn on the cob can be prepared without any water. It takes a bit of practice, but you’ll want to remove as much of the corn tassel (also called corn silk) as possible without disturbing the husk too much. Place the still-in-the- husk corn on the cob into the microwave and cook, on high power, for several minutes. The length of cooking depends on how many ears of corn you’re cooking and the power of the microwave, but a rule of thumb could be two to three minutes for one ear, five to six minutes for three ears.

You’re also likely to see this method recommended two ways: One requires microwaving the corn in its husk; the other has you shuck the corn first, and then wrap the ears in damp paper towels for the microwaving part. Let me save you the time right now: The shuck-first method is to be avoided. Not only does it needlessly waste paper towels, but it does away with the perfect natural steam jacket for each ear – its own husk – in favor of a less effective artificial one.

Corn Stock

No, this is not what is found on Wall St. If you are serving corn cut off the cob, the corn cob makes a really flavorful stock. Place corn cobs in a pot and add just enough water to cover the cobs. Cover the pot and allow simmering for about fifteen minutes. Remove the cobs, taste, and decide if you would like to add any salt or pepper. You can refrigerate or freeze the stock until you are ready to use. 

You can use corn stock as a base for corn or clam chowder, or to reconstitute canned soups, as a cooking liquid for rice or for pasta (to be used for salads), beans or potatoes. Add a small amount to salsa or to burrito fillings, or mix with softened butter and parsley to flavor fish or poultry or grilled tofu.

If you still have leftover corn cobs, you can use them as a supplement to wood chips for smoking meat, fish, mushrooms or vegetables. Corn cobs can also be placed near ingredients you are barbecuing to add a sweet/smoking flavor.

Some people will tell you that an air fryer is the only piece of equipment you need in the kitchen. We can tell you that air fryer corn on the cob can be a success! Here is how to proceed: clean fresh corn and break each cob in half. Rub each corn piece with a small amount of oil (or use oil spray), salt, pepper, onion or garlic powder or paprika, depending on your preference. Heat the air-fryer to 325 F and cook the corn, turning at least once, for ten to fifteen minutes, until browned. If you would like a softer corn, wrap each piece in foil and allow to cook for about ten minutes.

Corn lends itself to lots of seasonings, and any leftover seasonings can be used with popcorn! Here are just some suggestions: olive oil or butter mixed with salt and white or black pepper, herbal seasoning blends, fresh or powder minced onion or garlic, cayenne pepper, chili powder, salsa, fresh lemon, lime, tangerine or orange juice or zest, soy sauce, minced black or green olives, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, labneh or sour cream, veggie crumbles, bacon crumbles or bleu, feta or goat cheese.

Please contact Nancy at foodprof2@gmail.com with any health or nutrition questions, or for ideas with upcoming columns.