# How long do you boil your sweet corn?



## Constance (Aug 9, 2007)

A friend gave me these instructions: Bring salted water to a boil, add corn, bring water back to a boil and cook 3 minutes. 
I like it that way, but my husband doesn't think it gets cooked enough. But when he cooks it, it gets wrinkled and soggy. 

So, when you all boil corn, how long do you let it cook?


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## IainDaniel (Aug 9, 2007)

Just over 5 mins.


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## bethzaring (Aug 9, 2007)

I steam mine. I have a steamer thingy, an outside SS pot about 6 or 8 quarts, with a perforated insert. Steam them for about 5 minutes when it is young and tender, a few minutes longer when older.

Flashback to my culinary challanged mother, standing over the boiling kettle, 30 minutes passes, she muses, I wonder if the corn is done........on those were the (mushy) days........


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## Uncle Bob (Aug 9, 2007)

Miss Connie

As you know, sweet corn at the peak of freshness can be eaten raw it is so sweet and tender. To your question, I only cook it briefly. Five minutes maybe?? Mostly I go by color. When it turns a darker yellow, its time to eat!!
Some folks also claim that boiling in "salted' water will toughen it. I dunno! I've done it both ways, and I prefer a little salt in the water. In my opinion if it is cooked to a wrinkly, soft point it is over-cooked big time! 

So ya cook it like you like it! We all know who the boss is up there anyway!! 

Fun & Enjoy!


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## GotGarlic (Aug 9, 2007)

Yup, three to five minutes is all that's needed for young, sweet corn - then butter and salt it and eat - mmmmm. 

Maybe when he cooks, he could put your corn in three minutes before his is done. My DH likes his hamburgers medium-rare, while I like mine medium-well so he just puts his on after mine have cooked for a few minutes.


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## jennyema (Aug 9, 2007)

Nothing worse thatn overcooked corn.  Corn is almost all water and doesn't really need to be cooked much at all.



Bring well-salted water to a boil.  Put in corn.  Turn *OFF* heat.  

Corn is done when you can smell it.  About 3-5 min.  Do not overcook it!


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## BreezyCooking (Aug 9, 2007)

If I'm buying corn at the supermarket where - even tho the kernels look fresh & plump - I can't be sure how old it is, I put it in the pot, bring the water to a boil, boil for 5 minutes, & then turn the heat off.

However, when I'm buying from one of our local farmers, I put it in the pot, let the water just come to a boil & turn it off right away.  That seems to be more than enough time for fresh picked-that-morning corn.


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## Andy M. (Aug 9, 2007)

Drop the husked corn into a lartge pot of boiling water, bring it back to a boil and turn off the heat. Leave the pot covered for 5 minutes and your first serving is ready. The remaining ears will be good to go in the pot for another 10 minutes.

I usually bake it.  Preheatthe oven to 350 F.  Remove the loose silk and leave the husk on.  Place the ears directly on the oven shelf and bake for 30 minutes.  Peel and serve.


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## pacanis (Aug 9, 2007)

I've always wondered how long it took to boil corn.  I haven't had it that way in ages.  I've been grilling corn a couple times a week for the past several weeks.  In the husk, high heat for 35 to 45 minutes.  Hard to believe there's such a big difference in cooking time from boiling..... at least for me. I think I'll stick with the grill though


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## jennyema (Aug 9, 2007)

pacanis said:
			
		

> I've always wondered how long it took to boil corn. I haven't had it that way in ages. I've been grilling corn a couple times a week for the past several weeks. In the husk, high heat for 35 to 45 minutes. Hard to believe there's such a big difference in cooking time from boiling..... at least for me. I think I'll stick with the grill though


 
I only grill mine in the husk for maybe 10-12 minutes and it's well-cooked by then.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 9, 2007)

pacanis said:
			
		

> I've always wondered how long it took to boil corn. I haven't had it that way in ages. I've been grilling corn a couple times a week for the past several weeks. In the husk, high heat for 35 to 45 minutes. Hard to believe there's such a big difference in cooking time from boiling..... at least for me. I think I'll stick with the grill though



Do you like your corn crisp or soft?

When grilling corn, we soak it unhusked for at least a couple of hours in water, so it steams as well as cooking from the heat. 10-15 minutes will do it, but we like it crisp and juicy, so the kernels pop when you bite 'em.


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## pacanis (Aug 9, 2007)

hmmm, must be a BTU thing. 35-45 minutes and the kernels are just starting to turn golden brown..... See








I had a couple ears on for lunch that were calling me  Sorry for the quickie cell phone pic.  Now to get my garlic butter, Italian seasoning and cracked pepper out of the microwave


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## Katie H (Aug 9, 2007)

bethzaring said:
			
		

> I steam mine. I have a steamer thingy, an outside SS pot about 6 or 8 quarts, with a perforated insert. Steam them for about 5 minutes when it is young and tender, a few minutes longer when older.



Glad to see I'm not alone here.  I steam our corn, too.  Sounds as though you  have the same type set-up as I do, beth.  Takes far less time, overall, to steam corn because I don't have to wait for a huge mass of water to heat up.


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## ironchef (Aug 9, 2007)

I prefer to steam, saute, or grill fresh corn as well. I find that you lose some of the flavor when you boil it(or any other vegetable for that matter--color isn't the only thing that leeches out). I'll sometimes blanch the fresh kernals, but only for less than a minute and then I shock them in iced water. But that's the extent that they'll get in boiling water.


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## keltin (Aug 9, 2007)

Ok..........are you guys talking about fresh corn on the cob? And you only cook it for 5 minutes or less? Are you serious? Is it a special kind of corn, or will any corn do? The fresh corn I get here looks like what Pacanis posted. 
 
I’m curious now, so I’ll stop by the market and get some fresh and try this out tonight......but I can’t imagine it’s “done” in only 5 minutes?


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## Uncle Bob (Aug 9, 2007)

Keltin.

I am talking "fresh" corn, as in less than 24 hours off the stalk! Grocery store corn (Mostly Fla. sweet corn) can be good, but never great when compared to true "fresh" corn. Buyer beware in the grocery, while the shuck may be a beautiful green always, pull the shuck back and give it the thumb nail test. If it does not pop "milk" in your eye then think long and hard. If you see any "dents" in the kernals walk away until another day! 

Enjoy!


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## ironchef (Aug 9, 2007)

keltin said:
			
		

> Ok..........are you guys talking about fresh corn on the cob? And you only cook it for 5 minutes or less? Are you serious? Is it a special kind of corn, or will any corn do? The fresh corn I get here looks like what Pacanis posted.
> 
> I’m curious now, so I’ll stop by the market and get some fresh and try this out tonight......but I can’t imagine it’s “done” in only 5 minutes?


 
Keltin, I think that it's being talked about in reference to varying degress of doneness. One person could say that their steak is done after grilling it 4 minutes per side, and the next person might think that the steak undercooked since they may only eat well done steak. 

So in this context, I belive that the 5 minutes is because those who cook it for that little of a time, enjoy their corn (and probably other veggies) al dente and "rare". For someone who prefers their vegetables more cooked and softer, this wouldn't apply.


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## Constance (Aug 9, 2007)

bethzaring said:
			
		

> I steam mine. I have a steamer thingy, an outside SS pot about 6 or 8 quarts, with a perforated insert. Steam them for about 5 minutes when it is young and tender, a few minutes longer when older.


Beth, I have exactly the same kind of set-up, but I've never tried steaming corn. I shall give it a try! 

I like my corn crunchy. Like Uncle Bob, I could eat it raw. On the other hand DH likes his soft. I suppose I could just leave his in a little longer. 

Thank all of you for your great advice! I think I'll experiment with several different methods, and see what we like1


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## keltin (Aug 9, 2007)

Oh, ok! Thanks Uncle Bob and Iron Chef. There is a produce farm not far from me, and a guy from there usually loads up a truck and camper and sets up “shop” in the parking lot of the gas station next to Piggly Wiggly. I buy Kennebec Potatoes, Squash, Tomatoes, peppers, etc, from him that he has picked that day. I’ve not seen corn from him yet, buy I’ll ask him for some.
 
The last corn I got "fresh" from Lucky’s (local food market here) was pretty good, but it did have a bad spot on one ear. When I cut the spot out, it was very milky, but no where near 24 hour fresh.
 
And I’ll take my steak and 4 minutes a side every time please!


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## Dina (Aug 9, 2007)

10 minutes cooked in water and 1 hour in the grill.


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## buckytom (Aug 10, 2007)

boil, what's that?

j/k, with store bought corn, 5 - 10 minutes.

but i can't wait until this weekend. we're going here: Pick Your Own Apples at Weed Orchards, Marlboro, NY, Hudson Valley, NY to the sweet corn festival.

last year, my wife had never had freshly picked sweet corn, so when the owners brought back some of their first crop, to see if the public would be interested, i grabbed a load. dw made me put most of it back.  

on the way home, i started eating an ear raw, and convinced her to try it. she was amazed at how good corn is in the first few hours after harvesting, even raw. it's like candy.
this was a special new type of extra sweet and long lasting corn (lol, it sounds like willy wonka invented it).

i can't wait. and i've never let her forget it.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 10, 2007)

pacanis said:
			
		

> hmmm, must be a BTU thing. 35-45 minutes and the kernels are just starting to turn golden brown.....


Or, as IronChef said, it's a doneness preference thing. The corn in your pic looks way overdone for my taste. The browned kernels have lost a lot of their juice, which is where all the sweetness is. The kernels to the right in the lower ear of corn are just how I like my whole ear of corn to look - plump and juicy. I really just cook fresh corn long enough to heat it - it doesn't really need "cooking."

Also, I guess that's why I'm surprised to see so many people adding garlic and other strong seasonings to sweet corn; they would overpower the sweetness, which is what I want, so all I add is butter and salt


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## YT2095 (Aug 10, 2007)

I`m with Jennyema on this one too, I get my largest pot out (My Cauldron) and then bring to the boil a roughly 3% salt soln, and then add the peeled corn.
I turn the heat off and leave them for ~5 mins.

it`s nice after if you brush them with melted slightly salted butter and BBQ them too, but you can skip that part.


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## GB (Aug 10, 2007)

GotGarlic said:
			
		

> The browned kernels have lost a lot of their juice, which is where all the sweetness is.


You would actually be surprised. I was camping once and we threw a bunch on the coals. We had been drinking and forgot about the corn for a long time. When we finally remembered we figured the corn was good for trash and nothing else. Well we took them out of the fire anyway and took a bite. It was some of the sweetest tastiest corn I have ever had. Talk about happy accidents.


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## pacanis (Aug 10, 2007)

Camping? Drinking? I never knew those two went together  

I cooked two ears with dinner last night, too. (And BTW, I don't know if the corn I get is day old fresh _all_ the time, as they pack what they don't sell in a cooler at night before they close the stand, but it's as fresh as you can get around here. Grown a mile down the road. Anyway, it isn't store bought.) I didn't cook it quite as long and it was still done, so yeah, it must be a preference thing on doneness. My lunchtime corn was sweet as was my suppertime corn.
And what some people call brown, others call carmelized  
Sometimes I do it it plain, but lately I've been seasoning just about everything I eat. I've really gotten on a garlic, butter and/or olive oil and Italian seasoning kick. Don't know what's gotten into me


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## justplainbill (Aug 10, 2007)

buckytom said:
			
		

> boil, what's that?
> 
> j/k, with store bought corn, 5 - 10 minutes.
> 
> ...


 
Ripe corn (tassles starting to brown) can be quite tasty eaten raw right in the cornfield.  Store / farmstand purchased  can usually be cooked by placing into a pot of boiling water, letting the water return to a boil, shutting off the heat, and then letting corn sit for 5 - 15 minutes before eating.


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## LadyCook61 (Feb 6, 2008)

I boil the water first then put the corn in  , for 3 min. also a teaspoon of sugar, no salt.


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