Poaching Is the Secret to Perfect Corn on the Cob
I don’t know if it’s the rainy New York summer or my love of starch, but corn seems especially delicious this season. I eat as much as I can while the cobs are still arriving at bargain prices. And while grilling corn may seem like a great way to prepare it, I almost never do it. I cook it. Something like that. Technically, I’m boiling corn on the cob. It is relatively quick, does not dry out and is mostly done by hand.
What you will need
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Fresh corn on the cob
How to Boil Corn on the Cob
Step 1: Drop it
One of the reasons this method is so quick while still being relatively gentle is that you don’t need the husks. If you have pre-husked corn, skip to step 2.
Start by removing each outer leaf first, and once you get to the last inner leaves, you can pick the silk. Trim the heel and remove any small strings and bits that you don’t want to mess with later – it doesn’t get any easier once it’s cooked.
Step 2: Boil water
Use a wide saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. The pot should be wide enough to keep the corn horizontal and not at an angle. If you don’t have a large enough pan, no problem: just cut the corn on the cob in half. Fill the pan with three to four inches of water. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Reduce heat
As soon as the water boils. Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Water boils at 212°F, and the best temperature for cooking corn is between 160°F and 180°F. While it doesn’t take long for the water to cool, the time may vary depending on the size of your pan and the amount of water in it. This is why a thermometer comes in handy.
Wait about five minutes and then measure the water temperature. If it’s around 180°F, move on to the next step. If not, just wait a few more minutes and try again. After 7 minutes my water reached 177°F.
Step 4: Boil the Corn
Once the water reaches the desired temperature, throw in the corn and cover the pot with a lid. Set a timer for five minutes. Rotate the corn so the other parties can spend some time underwater. Cover the corn again and wait another five minutes. Your corn is out. The best part is that if you’re busy doing something else, your corn can sit in the water for another 10-15 minutes and still be in great shape. I love the grace period.
Why Corn Poaching Is Best
America’s Test Kitchen explains it well with a handy graphic , but essentially, cooking corn at 212°F is too aggressive to keep corn pectin (a fast-acting plant fiber) in good shape. Although you want the starches inside the grains to gelatinize, the idea is to prevent too much pectin from breaking down. This will cause the kernels to become too soft.
To achieve silky starch with bright, popping corn kernels, it’s best to use a lower temperature. In fact, if you see recipes that tell you to cook the corn for 30 or 40 minutes, walk away. For God’s sake, you’re not trying to eat a real cob. Raw corn kernels are already edible; you’re just trying to make them more tender by cooking them, and it doesn’t take much.
So should you bring the water to a boil first and wait? Technically no, you can monitor how the water heats up and turn off the heat at 180°F, but this may mean removing the cap many times to check the temperature, and it may actually take longer than just getting it up to a boil and return when it starts to spin. .
In fact, what I like best is that I don’t check it. This method is ideal for those who like to multitask – it’s mostly hands-free, and the hardest part is remembering to set the timer. Luckily, poaching is so delicate that you can even screw it up and still end up with perfect corn on the cob. Eat your corn warm as is or dress it up in style .
Easy Corn on the Cob Recipe
Ingredients:
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4 ears of fresh corn
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3 to 4 inches of water
1. Hull the corn to remove the husks and all the corn fibers.
2. Fill a wide saucepan with three to four inches of water. Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook.
3. Open the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the water to cool to 180°F.
4. Add corn and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the corn for 10 to 20 minutes, covered, turning the cobs once after five minutes.