How to cook corn so that it is juicy. All about how to cook sweet corn at home - in a saucepan and other containers

Both adults and children are looking forward to the middle of summer to enjoy sweet and fragrant young corn. Despite the fact that this cereal crop is very common with us, not every housewife knows how to cook corn properly so that it turns out soft and juicy. Traditionally, cobs are boiled in a pot and served as independent dish with coarse salt or a piece of fresh butter.

There are also many delicious unusual recipes from boiled or canned corn kernels. It is usually added to variety of salads and light snacks. Of course, you can buy ready-made canned product in a jar, but the amazing taste of freshly cooked homemade corn cannot be replaced.

Corn is famous not only for its taste, but also for its high content of useful microelements and amino acids necessary for a person. Therefore, during cooking it is very important to keep in the product as much as possible useful substances. Cooking corn on the cob is not difficult at all. However, some rules must be followed in order to get a good result in the end.

1. Choosing the right product

In summer, a huge number of ripe golden ears appear on the market and in supermarkets. Although outwardly they are all very similar, do not rush to buy the first product that comes across. To save the effort and money spent, follow these simple guidelines to select good quality corn. So, what should you pay attention to when choosing it?

The first is the degree of maturity and variety. Very often, out of ignorance, the hostess buy fodder varieties instead of food varieties. Feed corn grains tend to be denser and almost unsweetened. They are suitable for cooking. different soups and side dishes. Dried grains of this variety can also be used to make popcorn. For serving boiled, for salads and snacks, it is better suited sweet corn with tender and juicy grains.

The second tip is to buy raw corn on the cob. The freshness of the product can be determined by the leaves. The leaves of young corn are bright and green, and the stigmas are light and slightly moist. To check the freshness of the product, open the leaves so that the entire cob is visible to the base. The grains should have a soft lemon color and be smooth. Press a little on one of the grains with your fingernail. If the tender skin bursts and milky juice flows out of it, then this corn is milky fresh. It is this product that has a pleasant sweetish taste and will be especially tender and juicy after cooking. If starch has already appeared in the grains, then they will be quite hard and unsweetened.

2. We prepare the ears before cooking

Before cooking corn on the cob, clean them of dirty or damaged leaves. Remove only the top leaves, leaving a few thin leaves. They will give the finished dish a pleasant aroma and make it more juicy. For the same purpose, we will not cut off all the stigmas, we will tear off only the upper darkened part of the hairs. Before cooking corn on the cob, rinse it thoroughly under running water.

For cooking, it is better to choose cobs of approximately the same size so that they cook evenly. If they are very large, then before cooking they must be cut in half.

3. How to cook milky corn?

Depending on the degree of ripeness and variety of corn, the time of its preparation will vary. Young corn should be cooked as follows. Pour purified water into a thick-walled deep saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add a little granulated sugar to the water at the rate of 1 teaspoon per liter of water, as required by the recipe.

This cereal contains many useful vitamins and amino acids, which must be preserved during cooking. That is why it is important to follow temperature regime. Experts say: in order for boiled corn to retain its beneficial features, it must be cooked at a constant sufficiently high temperature. Dip the cobs in boiling water and wait until the water boils again. Then cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat slightly to medium power. Boil the ingredients for 15-20 minutes.

Young corn is easy to digest, so you need to time the cooking time and strictly adhere to the cooking time. After 15 minutes, check the readiness. If the grains are soft enough, carefully remove the cobs from the water. During cooking, make sure that the cobs are completely submerged in water. As a rule, the top ears float, so they need to be turned periodically so that all the corn cooks evenly.

4. How to cook Bonduelle corn?

This question is of interest to many mothers, because it is this variety (it is also called sugar) that is very useful for baby food. Bonduelle corn takes the same amount of time to boil as it does to cook young cobs.

5. How long does it take to boil old cobs?

Grains of middle-aged corn have a bright saturated yellow color. If you want the grains of boiled corn to remain dense, boil it for 30-35 minutes according to the recipe. In order for the grains to become loose and softer, you need to boil the cobs longer - about 45 minutes.

6. How long and how to cook fodder corn?

Unlike food varieties, fodder corn takes much longer to cook, 3-4 hours, regardless of its size and age.

7. How to cook corn in a pot?

Regardless of the variety and degree of maturity of the cobs, every housewife needs to know how to cook corn correctly so that it turns out juicy and soft. There are two recipes.

The first recipe is the fastest and easiest. Peeled from the top leaves, the cobs should be placed in a pan as close as possible to each other. Then fill them with cold purified water so that it is 5 centimeters higher than the top cob. Put the pan on the fire, bring to a boil and boil the corn until tender. How much time is needed for this, determine according to the degree of maturity of the cereal crop.

A feature of the second recipe is that the bottom and side walls of the pan must be lined with clean corn leaves. Put the cobs on top so that they do not come into contact with the walls of the pan. From above we also cover the corn with leaves and fill it with cool water. Boil the cobs until cooked, be sure to monitor how long they are on the stove.

8. How to cook cooked corn in milk or cream?

If you like to experiment, try this cereal recipe. Mix 125 ml of pasteurized milk and 60 ml of medium-fat cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Carefully cut the grains from four boiled cobs and add them to the boiled mixture. Boil the ingredients for 10 minutes. Then add 50 grams of melted butter mixed with a tablespoon wheat flour. Mix the ingredients and boil them for another 10 minutes, after which we pour 125 ml of dry white wine into the mixture. Let it boil for 10 minutes so that the alcohol evaporates. At the end of cooking, add salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.

9. Check readiness

Now you know how to cook corn so that it turns out delicious.
To check its readiness, you must wait for the time allotted for its preparation, then try one grain. If it becomes soft enough and easy to chew, the dish is ready. To make the corn even softer and more tender, leave the cooked cobs in the water with the lid closed for another 5 minutes, as required by the recipe. Then remove from the water, carefully remove the leaves if you boiled the cobs in them and serve the dish hot.

10. Submission

Only after the end of cooking, the cobs should be carefully grated. table salt. According to the recipe, do not salt the corn before cooking or dip the cobs in salted water. Salt speeds up the release of liquid from the grains, so they will turn out tough and less juicy.

Another option for serving sweet corn is with butter. A piece of oil is placed on a hot cob and rubbed with fragrant grains. You can also melt the butter first and then dip the corn into it. There are as many recipes and serving options as there are nations. For example, in Mexico it is customary to brush a hot cob with a slice of lemon and sprinkle with salt. The taste is unusual and spicy.

Enjoy your meal!

Boiled corn is the taste of childhood. Its unique smell cheers up even adults. It is a product that can only be enjoyed at certain times. And allotted him only 2-3 weeks. If you do not have time, you will have to wait another whole year until the new crop ripens. But in order to taste a truly delicious dish, you need to know some secrets of its preparation. If the product turned out to be tasteless, then, of course, the question will arise: "How tasty is it to cook corn?"

Corn

This product is not only tasty, but also useful. It contains vitamins C, K, B, PP and D. Iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium - all these trace elements will enter our body when eating corn. Glutamic acid improves memory and normalizes metabolic processes brain is also found in this vegetable. This is a wonderful complex of vitamins that helps the body maintain health.

Corn can be made different dishes. It gives a special, unique taste. But many people love to eat it boiled whole on the cob. It is very important that the vegetable is unripe. Young corn is soft and sweet. The riper the vegetable, the more it loses its taste qualities. Of course, a mature product is completely unsuitable. A young boiled cob does not need any seasonings, it is delicious on its own. All you need is a little salt, and butter will do the trick.

So, let's proceed to the disclosure of the topic "how to cook corn deliciously."

Choosing the cob

In order for the corn to be soft, to really enjoy this product, one should not forget that the key point in the whole process is the right cobs. Of course, if you live in a village or outside the city, then, turning to the farmer for help, solve this problem without much difficulty. But in urban conditions, you need to remember that it is better to buy corn in August. It is during this period that it reaches a state of semi-maturity and is most suitable for cooking. This little secret helps answer the question: "How to cook soft corn?" September, October are the months when it is no longer suitable for boiling, at this time the grains harden, the cob is almost ripe.

Purchase

It is important to ask the seller where exactly the vegetable was grown. Since in one region it can ripen faster, in another - more slowly. Don't take the cob buying process too lightly, lest you end up disappointed. Before buying, be sure to inspect each of them, special attention should be paid to grains. The young cob, which is best suited for cooking, will have milky white grains. If you crush them, they will be juicy. Elasticity, softness and bulge are factors indicating the state of the vegetable. Sluggish leaves and "shrunken" grains may indicate that the cob is stale, plucked long ago, which will significantly affect the taste. Also yellow, dimples indicate that the corn is ripe, and after cooking it will be tough and, of course, tasteless. The young cob is covered with green, fresh leaves, the semi-ripe will be covered with yellowed ones, which at the same time do not adjoin to it, but move away. They are hard and dry. If corn is sold completely without leaves, then it is better to bypass it. This suggests that the vegetable was subjected to heavy pesticide treatment, from which even the leaves curl up. Sellers remove them so as not to reveal the fact of a semi-poisoned product.

We buy no more than we can eat

In order not to be left at a loss, it is best to buy corn in such quantity that it will be eaten immediately. Young, suitable for cooking, cobs cannot be stored for a long time. They lose their taste qualities (ripen, become hard, rot). To deal with the question "how to quickly cook corn?", You need to pay attention to the following nuance: it is advisable to select cobs of the same size and the same maturity. When cooking, they will cook at the same time, which will avoid the presence of raw pieces that will need to be cooked. Corn is best served with butter. It's just a meal! But sunflower is fine too.

Preparing the cob

Now let's start answering the question "how to cook an ear of corn?" Before starting the boiling process, you must first prepare the product. It is cleaned of leaves, "hairs", the stigmas and the upper part are cut off along with grains (1-2 cm). This will remove the rotten or blackened part. If the cob is large, then it is better to cut it in half so that it fits in the container. If all of the above has been done, then before cooking, the prepared product must be soaked in cold water (1 hour). Then the vegetable is washed. After all the procedures, we lower it into boiling water.

It must be remembered that the water in which the vegetable is boiled is not salted in advance. The grains will become hard. This is the first step to answering the question: "How to cook soft corn?" You can salt it almost at the end (15 minutes before the end of the process). And you may not do it at all. The cob itself is often salted to taste.

How long will it take for the product to be ready? There is no direct answer to this question. It can only be noted that it will take about half an hour to boil young corn. And if it is overripe, then the process can drag on for three hours. To understand whether it is ready or not, you will have to pierce the grains yourself. If they are soft, then the cobs are cooked. For greater reliability, it is better to check the taste.

Cooking time for corn

When cooked, the vegetable may become hard. Therefore, the answer to the question will be given below: "How to cook soft corn?"

Let's bring next recipe. Peeled cobs, pre-soaked in water and washed, are lowered into the water. The vessel in which the process is carried out must be on the stove. Over high heat, water, with corn placed in it, is brought to a boil.

The vegetable is cooked in this way until it floats. Then the fire is reduced to medium, and the vessel is covered with a lid. In this state, continue cooking for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have elapsed, the cobs are immediately removed and poured with melted butter, sprinkled with salt. The product is ready to use. Cooked in this way, corn will be soft and very tasty. So the question was sorted out: "How to cook soft corn?"

Cooking corn in a slow cooker

Such a wonderful invention as a slow cooker is really an indispensable assistant for housewives in the kitchen. In it, you can cook various kinds of goodies, while spending a minimum of time. This wonderful device will also help if you need to boil corn. Below are tips on the question: "How to cook corn in a slow cooker?"

The vegetable is boiled in water. The product is being prepared. Leaves, tendrils, "hairs" are removed from the ears, then they are washed and placed in the bowl of the device. Filled with cold water. It is necessary to ensure that the amount of liquid is not more than the "Maximum" level, which is indicated by a special label. The leaves removed from the cob are washed. They are covered with corn. Everything is covered with a lid. It is necessary to set the mode "High pressure". Time is fixed. After 15 minutes, the corn will be ready, and it can be served at the table. Here is another answer to the question "how to quickly boil corn?"

To cook the product in a slow cooker, you can use another method. The kit includes a special insert, which is designed for steaming vegetables.

The insert is small, so the corn will have to be cut into small cylinders. Previously, they are rolled in a prepared mixture of salt and various spices (to taste). The finished product is placed in a special container for steaming. The insert is transferred to the slow cooker, everything is closed with a lid and the cooking time is set - 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the lid opens, the container with the finished product is removed. Corn is laid out on plates. Such food is not only tasty, very healthy, but also looks great.

Corn in the oven

Cooking corn in the oven is easy. You will need deep dishes. The bottom is lubricated with butter. Cobs are laid out, which do not need to be pre-cleaned of leaves, they just need to be washed. Half the vegetable is poured with hot water. The dishes are tightly covered with foil and left at a temperature of 200º for 40-120 minutes. After the corn is cooked, it must be cleaned of leaves and poured with oil. To figure out how to cook soft corn, remember that overcooking leads to stiffness.

In order for boiled corn to meet the expectations of your taste buds, you need to choose the right cobs in a store or market. The most delicious are sold until the end of August. Later ones may be overripe and tough.

You can check the age of corn by crushing one grain. Young seeds will ooze a white liquid resembling milk.

Young corn with grains of milky white or light yellow color is ideal for cooking. To the touch, the cob should be soft, but at the same time elastic. The grains should fit snugly together and be about the same size.

Pay special attention to the leaves. In good corn, they are green, dense, fresh.

The Perfect Cob / butimhungry.com

Do not buy corn without leaves. Perhaps the seller deliberately removed them to hide the poor quality of the goods from you.

How to cook corn on the stove

Boil water in a saucepan and drop the corn into it. It is not necessary to remove the leaves: when cooked, they will add additional flavor and juiciness to the corn. But it is better to get rid of the stigmas. The ears must be the same size so that they cook at the same time.

Young corn is cooked for 20-25 minutes, mature - at least 2 hours.

To speed up the cooking process old corn You can pre-soak it in water for 2-4 hours. The grains will soften and cook faster.

Closer to the end of cooking, take a sample from the dish: pry one grain with a fork and bite through. If it is soft and juicy, the corn is ready. Drain the water, cover the pan tightly with a lid and wrap with a towel. Wait 10-15 minutes. Such evaporation makes the corn more tender in taste.

Free the cooked hot corn from the leaves and serve. Salt and butter - to taste.

How to cook corn in the microwave

Peel the corn and soak in cold water for 1 hour. Then put it in a plastic bag, pour 2 tablespoons of clean water there room temperature. Tie the bag tightly and poke a couple of small holes in it to allow the steam to circulate. Send the cobs to a bowl, it - in the microwave. Cook for 15 minutes at maximum power.

You can cook even faster. Wash cobs, remove leaves and fibers. Wrap the corn tightly in a paper towel dampened with water and place on a plate. Select the maximum power and send the cereal to the oven for 5 minutes. Everything! The corn is ready.

Remove the corn from the microwave with tongs: the dish is very hot.

How to cook corn in a slow cooker

Clean the cobs of fibers and leaves, wash thoroughly. Pour water into the multicooker up to the maximum mark, put corn inside. If the ears do not fit into the bowl as a whole, cut them into several parts. Select high pressure mode, set the timer for 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, remove the corn, let it dry a little, season with salt and oil to taste.

How to cook corn in a pressure cooker

Clean the corn from all excess and wash. Put the cobs (whole or chopped) in the bowl of the household appliance. Cook the corn on maximum power if the pressure cooker is electric, or medium heat if it is mechanical. Cooking time - from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the age of the ears.

Eat hot corn immediately after cooking. When cooling, the grains lose their juiciness and harden.

How to cook corn in the oven

Grease a deep baking dish with butter. Put the washed and peeled corn from the leaves and stigmas there. Pour warm boiled water so that the cobs are half in it. Cover the mold with a sheet of foil. Send the corn to an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 40 minutes if the cereal is young, and for 120 minutes if the cobs are ripe. Add salt to ready meal.

Boiled corn is loved by all people, regardless of gender and age. Despite the obvious simplicity of preparation, boiling cobs requires certain knowledge and skill. Corn contains a lot of useful vitamins, due to its high energy value saturation is maintained for a long time. In terms of popularity, corn on the cob is equated to watermelons and ice cream. To enjoy all the delights, you need to responsibly approach the cooking process.

Useful properties of corn

1. Nutritionists recommend eating at least 1 ear of boiled corn per day. In this way, you will provide the body with a daily norm of useful vitamins and amino acids.
2. Corn is rich in vitamins of all groups, including PP, E, C, B. Cobs include ascorbic acid, magnesium, tryptophan, amino acids, iron, potassium, lysine, calcium.
3. Due to such an impressive list, activities are normalizing gastrointestinal tract, cardiac muscle, vascular system. Poisons and toxins are removed from the body.
4. Doctors strongly prescribe boiled corn in the amount of 50 grams to their diabetic patients. per day. This amount normalizes the level of glucose in the blood, preventing an increase in sugar.
5. In addition to all of the above, boiled corn on the cob fights metabolic disorders, allergies, pathologies digestive system, overweight.
6. Corn cobs accelerate brain activity, develop memory, prevent heart attacks and strokes. Also, the product puts in order the psycho-emotional background, forms muscle and bone tissue.

Varieties of corn and their differences

1. The final result depends on the degree of maturity and variety of cobs. To date, there are 2 main types of corn. The first is the usual, fodder (for raising animals). The second is sweet, edible, ideal for cooking.
2. You can eat both varieties, but the taste will be different. The feed type is more rigid, insipid, while the food cobs are juicy, milky, and sweet.
3. Feed-type corn is cooked longer (about 4 hours) due to hard starchy grains. Young sweet cobs are cooked for 20-50 minutes and literally melt in your mouth.

Choice of corn for cooking

1. Fruits harvested relatively recently (1-5 hours ago) are considered ideal for heat treatment. Young cobs are better boiled and contain a maximum of useful substances.
2. Choose corn with leaves (unpeeled). The shell does not allow weathering of the grains and indicates the freshness of the fruit. To identify high-quality corn, give preference to specimens with light green leaves.
3. Feel the fibers that wrap around the corn. Antennae should be wet. If you notice yellowing on the leaves, the corn was harvested a long time ago. It is better to refuse such products, since the juiciness will be minimal.
4. You can evaluate the quality and suitability of corn directly at the point of sale. Press your fingernail on one of the grains at the base of the cob. If you notice the juice, the corn is "dairy", which means it's perfect for cooking.
5. Old age is easily defined. Late corn has hard and dryish seeds. The older the fruit, the less granulated sugar is contained in the cobs (after time, the sweetener turns into starch).

How to cook corn on the cob: a classic

1. Container for cooking. Prefer a pot with a very wide bottom and high sides. Such a move will allow you to dip the ears in one piece without breaking them into pieces. Make sure the pot has a thick bottom. The best option is a cauldron with a tight-fitting lid. A pressure cooker will help speed up the process. To preserve the beneficial properties of corn, cook the cobs at 190-230 degrees at low power.
2. Preparing cobs for cooking. To start the heat treatment, prepare the corn. Some remove fibers and leaves. Others leave the "natural shell" in place, cutting off only dirty and spoiled specimens. The leaves will retain the juiciness and sweetness of the corn, but after heat treatment, they are more difficult to remove. Therefore, completely remove the leaves and fibers, then put them in a pan, alternating with the peeled cobs.
3. Putting cobs in a pot. Place the corn leaves on the bottom, lay the corn on top of them. Then make another sheet layer, cover it with cobs. Continue until the container is 2/3 full. Leaves should also be placed on the sides to seal the fruit. Sorting is ready, cobs can be poured. In no case should you salt the fruits. The loose composition will wash the liquid out of the grains, the finished dish will be dry.
4. Filling dishes with corn water. Cobs can be poured with boiling water or cold water, act according to personal preferences. Add liquid in such a way that it covers the product completely. Heat treatment lasts 45 minutes on average, however, depending on the variety, the procedure can last from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Throughout the process, it is necessary to monitor readiness, add hot water as it evaporates. Do not increase the power, cooking takes place at medium intensity.
5. Definition of readiness. Throughout the heat treatment, evaluate the corn for doneness. Pinch off one grain at a time, try. The grains should become soft. When the product is easy to chew, you can remove the composition from the fire. It is at this point that serve the cobs, rubbing them with salt and spices (the latter are added as desired). It is easiest to eat the dish in a state cut into pieces. In this case, each section is impaled on a culinary sword to avoid burns. You can rub butter or vegetable oil over the surface of the cobs.
6. Storage of prepared food. If you're not going to eat the corn now, leave it in a pot of hot water that hasn't evaporated from the boil. If you remove the product earlier, it will become weathered, the grains will wrinkle and lose their appetizing appearance. The product can be kept in water for at least 3 hours, keeping the temperature at 60 degrees. If we talk about aging in the refrigerator, the shelf life is 2 days.

How to cook corn in milk

1. Wash the cobs, remove the fibers, cut off the leaves. Rinse the corn, chop each ear into 2-3 equal sections.
2. Pour enough fat milk into the pan to completely cover the contents. Bring to a boil, send the cobs inside.
3. Boil the delicacy for at least 40 minutes, constantly evaluating readiness with a fork. The grains must disintegrate.
4. When you reach the desired texture, drop a slice of butter into the milk. Turn off the heat, keep the cobs in the liquid for another 30 minutes.
5. After this time, melt the butter, mix it with salt. Rub the mixture into each piece of corn. Prick the cobs on skewers, use.

1. The multicooker is good because, thanks to its use, all useful elements are completely preserved in corn cobs. And this means that the use of such a product will bring maximum benefit.
2. Before sending the product for cooking, remove all leaves and remove hairs. Do not salt the ears, put them in the bowl of the device, adhering to several layers.
3. You can fill the contents with pure water or milk, it all depends on personal preference. However, a couple of slices of butter must be added to the liquid to emphasize the taste.
4. When all preparations are completed, close the lid. Set the function "Steaming" or "Cooking" for 35-40 minutes.
5. After turning off the timer, do not rush to open the multicooker. Let the corn sit for another half an hour. After this period, remove the cobs, rub them with salt and butter.

How to cook corn in a pressure cooker

1. A pressure cooker is a thick-bottomed wide pan with a lid that is fixed with clips. The container has a hole for steam to escape, which speeds up the process.
2. For cooking corn, give preference to young cobs with the most juicy grains and green leaves. If the latter are partially dry, discard such a product.
3. Boil the water needed to fill the dishes 2/3 in advance. Fill the pan with de-fibred corn cobs, save the leaves.
4. Add water, close the lid. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cook for another third of an hour. Next, extract finished product, rub with salt and butter.

How to cook corn in a steamer

1. Cooking cobs in a double boiler is somewhat reminiscent of a slow cooker, the beneficial properties are fully preserved. Clean the cobs in advance, get rid of the fibers and leaves.
2. Put the ingredients in the mesh compartment of the double boiler, pour 600-800 ml into the common bowl. water depending on the amount of corn. Set the timer for a quarter of an hour, after this period proceed to the tasting.

How to cook corn in the oven

1. Prepare everything in advance necessary products. You will need salt, butter, corn, olive oil. Do not remove leaves or remove hairs.
2. Grease a baking sheet olive oil, place corncobs on it. Pour in water so that it reaches the middle of the fruit. Cover the contents with foil, leaving a small opening.
3. Preheat the oven to 210 degrees, after 10 minutes, send a baking sheet with cobs inside. Boil the corn for 25 minutes, then lower the power oven up to 180 degrees. Cook for 1 more hour.

1. In order for the grains to retain all the useful properties in their structure, pour the cobs with boiling water or milk.
2. In no case do not salt the water during the heat treatment. Otherwise, the bulk composition will draw out the liquid and sugar, the corn will turn out to be tough.
3. If you do not like to rub salt on the cobs during use, add the loose component 3-5 minutes before the end of cooking.
4. To give the grains delicate taste pour into water or milk granulated sugar combined with butter.
5. If you boiled corn and did not consume it immediately, do not repeat the heat treatment again. Otherwise, the grains will become hard.

Traditionally, corn is boiled in a saucepan, but you can use a slow cooker, pressure cooker, oven. Pour the cobs with warm milk or water, do not add salt. Rub the cobs with butter or vegetable oil immediately before use.

Video: how to cook delicious corn

The tantalizing aroma and unique slightly sweet taste of a real summer treat, boiled corn, is familiar to most of us since childhood. Hot, juicy, soft, incredibly appetizing boiled corn remains one of the favorite summer treats for children today, however, it does not leave adults indifferent either. cook boiled corn incredibly simple! But wait... simple? Not certainly in that way. Probably no other vegetable can bring as much disappointment as the wrong choice and poorly cooked boiled corn. Today we invite you to figure out with us how to cook corn. How to choose and weld delicious corn bringing us and our children only pleasure and joy.

The nutritional and dietary value of corn is undeniable. This wonderful cereal crop is extremely rich in vitamins B, PP, D, C, K. Corn will serve as an excellent source of iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and copper. Contains corn and glutamic acid, which normalizes metabolic processes in the brain and improves memory. Corn has been used for a long time medicinal purposes. It perfectly cleanses the body of accumulated toxins, normalizes metabolism, helps fight gout, diseases of the kidneys, liver and cardiovascular system. Corn has also found its application in cosmetology. masks from cornmeal help to give the skin elasticity, cleanse pores and eliminate oily sheen, restoring youth and health to the skin. And yet, corn won real popularity and love, primarily due to its great taste and undeniable culinary qualities.

Among all the huge variety of dishes that can be prepared from corn, summer corn of milky ripeness, boiled by a whole ear, has been and remains an absolute hit. So tender, juicy and tasty that it does not require any additives at all. Is that a pinch of salt, and a few drops of butter, that's all that is required in order to emphasize the tenderness and aroma of our delicacy. At the very first, superficial glance, cooking boiled corn does not require any knowledge and skills at all. And this is the biggest mistake that leads to failures and disappointments. When it comes to cooking corn on the cob, every detail counts. It is necessary to carefully select corn of the correct maturity, properly prepare the cobs, boil them correctly and on time. It is necessary to know and remember the little tricks and secrets that are especially important in the preparation of our delicious, but extremely delicate dish.

"Culinary Eden" has collected and carefully recorded for you the most important tips and recipes for cooking corn, which will surely help even inexperienced housewives to easily figure out how to cook corn.

1. The greatest success in preparing truly tasty, soft and juicy boiled corn depends on how seriously you choose the cobs. The best solution would be to buy corn directly from the grower. Unfortunately, not everyone has this opportunity. When buying corn at the market, remember that real fresh young corn can only be sold in the season, which ends no later than the end of August. The corn that is sold later is most often overripe, tough, and completely unsuitable for boiling whole. Be sure to ask the seller in which region the corn offered to you is grown. Keep in mind that in regions with warmer climates and early summers, corn ripens much earlier.

2. When choosing corn, carefully inspect the ears and kernels. Only young milk-ripe corn is suitable for boiling. The color of the grains of such corn will be milky white or slightly yellowish. The grains themselves should be moderately soft, elastic, convex. If you crush such a grain with your fingers, then inside it will turn out to be juicy and tender. Corn with bright yellow, ripe kernels can be coarse and tough. If the grains of corn have lost their roundness, and dimples have appeared on top of the grains, you have ripe corn in front of you, which is completely unsuitable for boiling whole. Pay attention to the leaves that cover the cob. In young corn, the leaves are bright, green, completely fresh, they tightly cover the cob with grains. If the leaves turn yellow, become too hard and dry, and begin to move away from the cob, it is likely that the corn offered to you is already overripe. Be wary of corn that has had its leaves removed before being sold. There is a possibility that such corn has been over-treated with pesticides, resulting in leaf curl. The seller cut off the unattractive-looking leaflets, but to talk about nutritional value there is no such corn.

3. When buying corn, try to choose cobs that are about the same size, with the same grain size. Do not forget that the boil time directly depends on the size of the corn cob and the size of its grains. If your corn is of different sizes, then there is a good chance that some of the cobs will be completely overcooked, while the other part will still be raw and even tough. Be sure to inspect the cob itself before buying, make sure that all corn kernels are even, tight to each other and are in the same stage of maturity.

4. Corn cobs belong to the category of products not subject to long-term storage. After a couple of weeks, corn grains can ripen, dry out and become excessively hard. On the other hand, if the ears are too young and juicy, there is a possibility that when long-term storage they will start to rot. Try to only buy as much corn as you can cook and eat at one time. If for some reason you need to keep the ears of corn a little longer than usual, wrap each ear dry parchment paper, carefully fold into a cardboard box and store in the lower compartment of the refrigerator. Corn cobs prepared in this way can be stored for no more than two weeks.

5. Before boiling, corn cobs should be properly prepared. Carefully pluck off any leaves covering the cob and remove the corn stigmas. Large cobs of corn cut across into two parts, small cobs can be boiled whole. Carefully inspect the corn kernels, if the top rows of grains are slightly rotten and blackened, cut them off. Soak the peeled corn on the cob for one hour in clean cold water and then rinse thoroughly. Dip the corn prepared in this way into boiling water. Do not immediately add salt to the water in which your corn will be boiled, this can make the grains extra hard. Add salt 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking. How long to cook corn? Cooking time directly depends on the degree of maturity of corn grains. Young, very juicy and soft corn will be ready in 20 - 30 minutes, but corn with mature grains can be cooked for 2 - 3 hours until cooked. Readiness of corn can be checked by taste or by gently piercing a grain with a fork or a sharp stick.

6. Let's try to boil our first, juiciest and most tender milk corn. For only very young corn is suitable for this recipe, such that the softest grains of which, when crushed, are released onto the finger a large number of juice. Peel four ears of young corn from leaves and stigmas, and then rinse thoroughly in running water. Boil three liters of water in a deep saucepan. Don't salt! Dip the prepared cobs in boiling water and bring to a boil again over high heat. Once the corn cobs float to the surface, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook your corn for 5 to 10 minutes. After this time, immediately remove the corn from the water, drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and serve. Don't overcook young milk corn! Too long cooking can make it tough.

7. Mature corn differs from very young corn much more bright taste and aroma, but such corn should be cooked longer. Remove leaves and stigmas from four ears of corn. Don't throw away the leaves! Soak the peeled corn in cool water for one hour and then rinse thoroughly. If necessary, cut each cob crosswise into two halves. Boil three liters of water in a deep saucepan, add half of the corn leaves, bring to a boil again, put in the cobs and bring the water to a boil again over high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and cook the corn for 40 to 45 minutes. After time, add salt to taste and the remaining leaves. Cook everything together for another 15-20 minutes. Ready corn remove from water, dry slightly, drizzle with butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.

8. Tender young corn cobs can be boiled by placing them in the oven. cooked thus they turn out extremely fragrant and tasty. Lubricate the baking dish with vegetable oil, put in it four whole ears of corn, not peeled from the leaves. Top up hot water so that it covers half of the cobs. Carefully cover the form with corn foil and place in an oven preheated to 200⁰ for 40 - 120 minutes, depending on the degree of maturity of the corn. Remove the leaves from the cooked corn, pour over with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and serve.

9. Corn cooked in a double boiler is very tasty and tender. You can steam both de-leafed and unpeeled corn. Cooked with leaves, corn is much more aromatic, but takes a little longer to cook. Pour a sufficient amount of water into the steamer, grease the grate with butter and place the corn cobs on it. Close the steamer tightly and cook the corn for 30 to 40 minutes until tender. While your corn is cooking, prepare the sauce. Melt 15 gr. butter in a small saucepan, add 50 gr. crushed walnuts and a pinch of ground cardamom. Stir quickly and remove from heat. Put the finished corn on a dish, pour over fragrant nut oil and serve. Serve the salt separately.

10. When there is not enough time, delicious boiled corn can be cooked in microwave oven. Soak young corn on the cob for an hour in cool water without peeling the leaves. After the time has elapsed, transfer the corn on the cob to a plastic bag, add a couple of tablespoons of water and tie tightly. Place the bag in a microwave-safe dish and poke a couple of tiny holes in it to release excess steam. Microwave at maximum power for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the maturity of the beans. Remove the cooked corn from the bag, remove the leaves and stigmas, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Cooked like this fast way corn is very fragrant and tasty, but it should be served immediately, after cooling, your corn will lose most of its taste.

And on the pages of "Culinary Eden" you can always find more more recipes and tips that will definitely tell you how to cook corn.