How to Shuck, Cook, and Clean Sweet Corn the Easy Way!

Summer sweet corn is finally in season! Yippee! Yahoo! *Backflips of joy*

During this time of the year it seems not a cookout, barbecue, or day that ends with a y doesn’t have sweet corn on the cob in some way shape or form. I think some of our local road side farmer stands sell the best sweet corn around but I’m not against buying it at my farm market either.

Boiling sweet corn on the cob is easy. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, drop the corn cobs into it, and let them cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Easy.

Except for taking the husk off the corn and removing the strings. No matter how well Husband or I think we removed all the corn strings, someone usually ends up with an extra portion of corn strings with their clean corn on the cob. Our bad.

Until Husband experimented with not only the quickest and easiest way to remove all the husk and strings from fresh corn on the cob. Let’s husk corn the lazy way!

The Quickest Way to Cook and Clean Corn on the Cob

You will need:

Pot of water
Corn on the cob
knife and cutting board
tongs
Pot holder
5 to 10 minutes

Make it:

1. Place the unhusked corn on the cob in the pot of water. Don’t bother to remove the husk first. Really.

2. Bring the corn to a rolling boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t add salt to the water or boil the corn too long. Either or both things will make your corn tough. Bleach.

3. Remove the corn from the boiling water with the tongs and put it on the cutting board.

Look how the husk is already falling off the corn cob!

4. Hot the hot ear of corn with a pot holder and use the knife to cut off both ends of the ear of corn.


5. Use the knife/tongs/something that isn't your fingers (unless you like burnt fingers. Then go for it.) to open the corn husk and brush the corn silks away. 

Optional: Give your sweetie a kiss for being such a culinary genius! Not that I ever really need a reason to kiss Husband. I like him. A lot.

Let’s look at that again. The corn silks fall off the sides of the cooked corn on the cob like magic!

Warning: Boiling corn on the cub in the husk makes the corn a bit hotter than cooking a bare piece of corn on the cob. You might want to let the corn cool a little longer unless you like burning the roof of your mouth with hot food. I don’t. It hurts.

6. Sit down and eat!

Looking for more sweet corn hacks and ideas? Check out the following options - and more! - below!

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