Skip to Content

How To Cook Corn On The Cob

There is nothing quite like that corn on the cob fresh from your own garden. You’ve been looking forward to enjoying this harvest and have been tasting those golden kernels for months now, so now your harvest is ready and you are ready to cook up some of that corn on the cob. Now all you have to do is choose how to cook corn on the cob so you can enjoy those tender nuggets fresh from your garden.

Yummy looking corn on the cob, ready to eat

Accessories you’ll need

Here are a few things you might need for preparing and enjoying your corn on the cob.

Polish Pottery Corn-on-the-cob Dish From Zaklady Ceramiczne Boleslawiec 1517-964 Traditional Pattern, Dimensions: Length: 8.75Polish Pottery Corn-on-the-cob Dish Polish Pottery Corn-on-the-cob Dish From Zaklady Ceramiczne Boleslawiec 1517-964 Traditional Pattern, Dimensions: Length: 8.75Charcoal Companion Pig Corn Holders, 4 PairsPig Corn HoldersCharcoal Companion Pig Corn Holders, 4 PairsFox Run 5416 Butter Spreader with Built-In Cover, Plastic Butter Spreader with Built-In CoverFox Run 5416 Butter Spreader with Built-In Cover, Plastic

How To Cook Corn On The Cob In The Microwave

There are two different ways to cook corn on the cob in your microwave with and without the husks on the corn. Here is a brief look at both methods.

Cooking Corn on the Cob With Husks On

Corn on the cob still in husks

Cooking corn on the cob in the microwave with the husks still on the corn helps hold the moisture in so the corn steam cooks. It also has the added benefit of making the corn easier to husk. You can make up to 4 ears of corn in the microwave at one time.

To prepare the corn, peel back just enough of the husk to cut the end off the corn (this will make husking easier once the corn is cooked.) Then lay the corn in a single layer on the turntable of the microwave and turn the microwave on high for 4 to 4 ½ minutes.

Once the corn on the cob is cooked take it out of the microwave and let it sit on a cooling rack until the leaves and the silk is cool to the touch. Chuck and serve.

Cooking Corn on the Cob With the Husks Off

Cooked corn on the cob

Shuck your corn and then, for each ear that you plan on cooking, dampen a paper towel and wrap the corn into the damp towel. Microwave on high for five minutes, then carefully remove the corn and unwrap the towel. Place the corn on the cob on a plate and serve.

How To Cook Corn On The Cob On The Grill

Grilled corn on the cob

Just like cooking corn on the cob in the microwave, there are a couple of different ways to cook corn on the cob on the grill. You can either cook the corn on the cob in the husk or cook the corn wrapped in tinfoil.

Grilling corn with the husks on

To prepare your ears of corn to grill them with the husks on you first need to pull down the husk to the bottom of the ear without removing it. Then strip away all of the silk from the year and pull the husks back up in place.

Place the corn and husk in a bowl of cold water for 8 to 10 minutes and shake off any excess water.

Place on a grill set for medium-high heat and close the lid roast until the corn is tender turning the corn every 4 or 5 minutes. (The corn should take 15 to 20 to cook.) Remove, season and enjoy.

You may want to add some grilled asparagus to your corn. YUM!

Grilling corn wrapped in tinfoil

Baked corn in foil on the grill

To prepare the ears of corn for grilling, shuck your corn and then trim off both ends of the corn and cut each cob in half. Lay each piece of corn on a sheet of tinfoil, butter it and season the corn with salt and pepper, garlic, lemon pepper or some other seasons. You can also use herb butter instead of regular butter.

Wrap the corn in tin foil shiny side facing in and grill on high until tender turning every few minutes. Your corn will cook within 15 to 20 minutes and be tender and flavorful.

How To Boil Corn On The Cob

Cooking corn on the cob by boiling it is probably the most common way of cooking corn on the cob. Prepare the corn by husking it making sure you remove all of the silk strands.

Fill a large pot ½ full of water and add ½ to 1 cup of whole milk (this results in more tender and flavorful corn). Add a teaspoon or two of salt and then put in the corn on the cob. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the corn is cooked and tender (about 2 to 5 minutes). 

Remove using tongs and serve on a platter.

How To Store Corn On The Cob

It is a common occurrence that when you harvest the corn on the cob from your garden you will have more corn than you can eat within a day or two. Knowing how to properly store your corn on the cob will keep it fresh longer and help you avoid wasting your harvest.

Storing Fresh Corn on the Cob

If you are going to eat that fresh corn on the cob within a week of picking it, you can store it in your refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Leave the corn in its husk to prevent it from drying out. Place it in a ziplock bag and refrigerate with all the excess air pressed out.

Storing Cooked Corn

If you have leftover grilled, microwaved or boiled corn you can store your cooked corn by placing it in a sealed airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. You will need to eat your cooked corn within the next day or two.

How To Freeze Corn On Cob

If you have an overabundance of corn and want to preserve that corn to enjoy until your next year’s harvest, you can freeze your corn on the cob to enjoy all through the winter and spring. You can prepare your corn on the cob for freezing in a few easy steps.

  1. Shuck all of your ears of corn you are planning on freezing
  2. You can freeze the ears whole or cut them in half. We recommend cutting the ears of corn in half since they fit into ziplock bags easier. When cutting your corn in half cut off the ends first and then cut the corn in half.
  3. Fill a large pan with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
  4. Using a pair of tongs place the ears of corn into the boiling water.
  5. Boil for 4 minutes
  6. Remove the corn from the boiling water and immediately immerse it into a bowl of ice water to stop the corn from cooking further.
  7. Let the corn cool for about 5 minutes
  8. Wrap each ear of corn separately in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer bag on which you have marked the date and freeze.

Frozen corn is good to be used for up to a year.

How To Cook Frozen Corn On Cob

Once you have frozen some that of delicious corn on the cob for eating later, you may not be sure how to cook that frozen corn on the cob. Since you blanched it before freezing, your corn is already partially cooked. So, cooking frozen corn on the cob is more of a matter of heating the corn to temperature rather than cooking it from scratch.

When cooking frozen corn on the cob in the microwave, wrap it in a damp paper towel and cook it high for 3 or 4 minutes until tender.

If heating your frozen corn on the cob by boiling, place the corn in a pot of boiling water with milk and cook between 5 and 7 minutes or until the corn is hot and tender when pierced with a knife.

Knowing how to store, freeze, and cook corn on the cob can allow you to make the most of your home garden and enjoy your delicious homegrown corn.

Beautifully roasted corn

Website | + posts

Adriana Copaceanu is a passionate nature lover living in the country on her dream property where she grows vegetables, lavender, and wildflowers that she shares with the wildlife they attract. When she's not in the garden, she loves spending time with her chickens and planning her next nature project. Check out her books below:

How to Grow Lavender for Fun and Profit: Lessons Learned from Planting Three Hundred Lavender Plants

How to Raise Chickens for Eggs: A Guide to Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens for Nutritious, Organic Eggs at Home

Pin To Save For Later

What Is Corn Smut? How To Identify, Prevent And Treat Corn Fungus

Tuesday 15th of September 2020

[…] Related: How to cook corn on the cob […]