How do you know when your corn on the cob is done? In your answer, please explain if you are grilling or boiling the corn. - Jinx
Moved this one to Cafe Society. They eat this kind of question up.
samclem GQ moderator
The question nearly plunged this forum into anarchy last time it came up.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=324443&highlight=corn
When it’s hot.
Seriously, fresh corn on the cob barely needs to be cooked at all.
My personal favorite method:
Soak the cobs, in the husk, for 15-20 minutes, making sure they are completely submerged. Then throw then directly on the grill, still in the husks, along with whatever else you are cooking. In 5-10 minutes, peel off the husk (practically all of the silk will fall away with no effort), and eat. No butter or salt needed.
You can also microwave corn. Use a covered dish with a tablespoon or so of water, and nuke for about 1 minute per cob.
What Suburban Plankton said. When it’s hot it’s done. And if you don’t care whether it’s hot, you can eat it raw, as my wife does.
If you’re boiling it, get the water to a rapid boil and put the corn in for two minutes. That’s all you need.
I just checked the linked thread above. Some posts talked about cooking the corn for 12 minutes, 20 minutes, 45 freaking minutes!! That’s a recipe for tasteless mush on the cob. Trust me – two minutes is enough. More is too much.
Last weekend I cooked some on the grill. I usually leave it in the husk but these were partially husked so I husked them and threw them on the grill. I cooked them too long (15-20 minutes) and though they had a good “smoky” flavor, they were very dry. Just a caveat.