# How do you prepare sweetcorn on the cob? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [May 14, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042 "2023-05-14T22:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/81 "2023-05-16T20:39:47Z")
From America’s Test Kitchen [For the Best Boiled Corn, Don’t Boil It At All](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ABAbnTPAA&list=PLx3C-F_vt3dwJc1A_oURTpL7sUyh2Ftnn&index=219&ab_channel=America%27sTestKitchen) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/82 "2023-05-16T20:54:28Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Today my dinner was 5 cobs of corn prepared this way, We really have to get you and MamaZappa together for dinner this Summer. She would live on corn if we let her. ROFL! As for prep, I am a butter and salt purist myself. I’m usually doing eight or more cobs at a time, so there’s no way to stack them in the microwave that everything gets done properly. So I just boil them in a spaghetti pot for a few minutes. But I think the family favorite is a combo of garlic salt, Penzey fajita seasoning, red pepper flakes, and TruLime, in melted butter. I just melt all that that in a mug in the microwave and pop a [pastry brush](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Kitchen-Silicone-Brush.jpg) into it to make spreading easy. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/83 "2023-05-16T21:09:49Z")
If the corn is fresh and good, I’m a corn purist, and put nothing on it. If it’s old or overcooked i like salt and butter. ---
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/84 "2023-05-16T21:27:33Z")
I microwave it these days. Leave the husk on and wrap in a wet paper towel. It steams and gets it good and hot. Taking it off the hulk and silk come right off and you can get any remaining silk with that hot paper towel. Then butter and pepper. I should not have salt but sometimes do. You can spin the corn directly on a butter stick and make a glorious mess. Tajin is also excellent ( I know that is salt) What you should not do is leave it in a pot of water for an hour waiting on the grill to heat up. It doesn’t seem like the season should start yet. I was at the local produce fair today. It was blueberries, asparagus, strawberries. And I bought kale. People who say they go to farmers markets to save money are lying. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/85 "2023-05-16T22:23:21Z")
Considering all the mentions of waiting for water to boil, it’s a lot easier with the steaming methods, since you need maybe an inch worth in the pot (if not less). For us, that means 2ish minutes with our electric kettle, onto a burner with the steaming pot and rig already at heat, and 3-4 minutes after it’s perfect. Granted, if I had to wait for a pot full of water to come to a full boil, I’d also probably be in the microwave faction… ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/86 "2023-05-17T13:50:48Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Considering all the mentions of waiting for water to boil, it’s a lot easier with the steaming methods, since you need maybe an inch worth in the pot (if not less). How do you cook multiple ears of corn in less than an inch of water? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/87 "2023-05-17T14:00:03Z")
-blinks- Steaming, as I said in the section you quoted. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/88 "2023-05-17T14:06:56Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Today my dinner was 5 cobs of corn prepared this way, with watermelon for dessert. Awesome, but I would just use butter and some salt without any seasoning. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/89 "2023-05-17T14:33:06Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > However, there is something wonderfully indulgent about elotes. I really don’t like mayonnaise, but a really over-the-top elotes is something magnificent to eat. 90% of the time, my corn is eaten with just butter and salt. But, good lord, sometimes I just want to gild the lily and go full-on elotes with the mayo and/or crema (or sometimes I just use butter), queso fresco or Cotija, lime, chiles. Quite decadent. Perfect for the ho-hum corn I typically get outside of late summer. Thai style is also quite nice, but I’ve only done it once: > **[Grilled Thai Street Corn (Kao Pod Yang)](https://theeastcoastkitchen.com/grilled-thai-street-corn-kao-pod-yang/)** > > This is absolutely my favourite way to eat corn. I first tried this style corn when traveling Thailand. We were in Chiang... Read More ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/90 "2023-05-18T13:39:59Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > -blinks- > > Steaming, as I said in the section you quoted. 🙂 Sorry - I didn’t notice that you said “steaming”. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042/91 "2023-05-18T14:44:11Z")
Remember Big Boy restaurants? Many have closed over the last few decades but they are still alive and well, mostly in Michigan and a couple other states. Their [seasoning salt](https://shop.bigboy.com/collections/pantry/products/big-boy-seasoning-salt?variant=39703708729443) is awesome on corn. If I’m in the mood for more spice I go with Tony Chacere’s. And butter, of course; just rip the paper off the end of a stick and smear it on. I usually bring water to boil, then cut the head, add the cobs, and cover for a few minutes, but now I’m eager to try the microwave methods. Of course, if I’m camping it’s cooked in the husk on the campfire. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prepare-sweetcorn-on-the-cob/984042.md?page=4)