Yellow, sunny, good for you and an easy side dish are reasons to eat frozen corn on the cob. Knowing this recipe for how to cook frozen corn on the cob is the best way to get flavor out of the freezer. This recipe is as good as fresh corn giving you a sweet corn on the cob with fresh corn kernels!
A wonderful American side dish that you can enjoy anytime of the year if you just know how to cook frozen corn on the cob properly. Perfect for the summer months or any time of the year!
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s EASY and makes delicious corn!
- This recipe is FAST and ready in MINUTES!
- Frozen corn on the cob is available when out of season
- You save all of the vitamins, minerals and good for you everything by using frozen corn
- ALL THE WAYS to cook frozen corn on the cob right here!!
- Frozen corn on the cob is AFFORDABLE!
- Corn on the cob (frozen) has a super long shelf life!
- Corn has a natural sweetness!
Easy Recipe
- Heat water, milk, a little butter, broth concentrate and seasoning over medium high heat.
- Add frozen corn on the cob to the boiling liquid
- Allow to come to a boil corn for 10-12 minutes
- Remove corn from hot liquids and use tongs and drain. Serve hot with butter, salt and pepper and a few fresh herbs
What is Frozen Corn on the Cob
Frozen corn on the cob has been picked when near ripe and then blanched (cooked very briefly in boiling water) and then quickly frozen thus preserving most of the vitamins and nutrients of the fresh vegetable!
This classic frozen corn on the cob always makes me think of this herbed butter for corn on the cob by Martha Stewart and this beautiful grilled corn on the cob by Ina Garten.
Popular Methods for Corn Recipe
In general, frozen corn on the cob can be cooked by:
- Boiling,
- Steaming,
- Microwaving on a microwave safe plate
- Crockpot
- gas or charcoal Grill
- Stove top
- backyard barbecue
- air fry corn
- Slow Cooker
You might have considered cooking frozen corn on the cob using...
- Instapot
- Pressure Cooker
Because frozen corn on the cob has already been partially cooked, these are not the best applications for frozen corn on the cob.
Cook Time
The cooking time varies depending on the method of cooking, but in general, as soon as the frozen corn on the cob is warmed through, it is done. Usually that is in 5-10 minutes.
Things to Remember about Frozen Corn on the Cob
- The corn on the cob has already been cooked.
- What we are aiming to do is to add some flavor so that the cooked version isn’t so bland.
- You will not cook frozen corn on the cob very LONG at all.
Pro Tip:
Always remember to add flavor to your frozen corn on the cob while cooking, for the BEST possible flavor!.
Substitutions
All of these spices, herbs, sauces and oils taste good with corn and you can pretty safely mix and match:
Oils and Fats:
- Vegetable oil
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Parmesan
- Melting cheese
Seasonings:
- Season All Salt
- Mrs. Dash
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Chicken seasoning
- Various seasoning mix
- Bacon bits
- lime juice
- Chili Powder
Sauces:
- Butter sauce: Equal mix of melted butter and parmesan cheese (roll the corn in the sauce)
- Milk (milk is not a sauce, but where else would it go in this list?)
- Chicken broth (chicken broth concentrate or chicken bouillon)
- Liquid Smoke - adds a smoky flavor
Cooking Methods for Frozen Corn on the Cob
Boiling
The easy steps recipe card at the end of this post gives the instructions for boiling your frozen corn on the cob so that it will have EXCELLENT flavor. It does require a large pot of water and I think it makes the perfect side! The rest listed here are other best methods.
Steaming
To steam your corn on the cob:
- Put 1 quart of water into a saucepan (be sure to use enough water) and add 1 chicken bouillon cube or 1 Tbs of chicken broth concentrate and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Place the steamer basket over the top of the water and place the frozen corn on the cob into the steamer basket (be careful not to burn yourself). Bring to a rolling boil
- Allow the steam to drift through the corn on the cob until it is completely warmed (5 mins or so).
- Remove the corn on the cob from the steamer and put one pat of butter over the top and sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
Microwaving
- Put ¼ cup water, ¼ cup milk, and 1 tbs of butter in the bottom of a microwaveable dish.
- Place the corn on the cob you want to cook into the dish.
- Sprinkle the corn on the cob with ½ teaspoon Season all salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Cover with plastic wrap or paper towel but leave a small gap where the steam can escape
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes and check to see that the corn is all hot.
- Run again for 30 sec intervals until the corn is hot all the way through. Be careful, microwave corn is hot!
Crockpot
- Put 1 quart of water and 4 Cups of whole milk in the crockpot with 1 Tbs butter and 1 Tbs of chicken broth concentrate (or 2 chicken bouillon cubes).
- Place as many corn on the cobs as you wish to cook in the crockpot as well.
- Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove from the crockpot, drain and add butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Grill
- Wrap the frozen corn on the cobs individually in aluminum foil.
- In each foil packet, place 1 Tbs of butter and sprinkle the ear of corn with salt and pepper.
- Place the foil packets on the grill over medium heat and grill till heated through (5-10 minutes)
- Remove from the grill, open the packet and then season per your own tastes.
Let's see how to cook this cob recipe
First assemble your ingredients. Here we are heating water...
Then add some milk to the water...
Then add your spices to the liquids for a tasty side dish.
Now add the frozen corn on the cob
Here it is all done!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Can Frozen Corn on the Cob Go Bad?
In the freezer:
Yes, after a certain time, your corn on the cob can develop freezer burn. It will appear white and shriveled. The bag of corn should show an expiration date. You will want to be careful if your corn is past that date.
After cooking:
Yes, once you cook your corn, it will only be good for another 3 days if kept refrigerated.
If thawed but uncooked:
Yes, once thawed, cook the corn as soon as you can. It will stay thawed for 1-2 days in the refrigerator.
It will last for up to 5 Days in the fridge if you keep it covered.
It's best to avoid that because you'll notice that the texture changes a bit with freezing and will do so more if you freeze it again.
You can reheat in the microwave by wrapping in a damp paper towel or in plastic wrap and microwaving for 30 seconds per ear.
Watch Me Make This Recipe
Y'all Help Me Out, OK?
Please leave me a 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 comment below in the comment section, all right? I would LOVE to know if you made this recipe or even if you are planning to! Of course, head on over to Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram and tag me with some photos of your creation!
I can’t wait!
Ya’ll know I love your comments!! ❤
How to Cook Frozen Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 1 quart of water
- 4 Cups whole milk
- 1 Tbs chicken broth concentrate or 2 chicken Bouillon cubes
- 4 Tbs Butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt if using the bouillon cubes then cut this in half
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cobs frozen corn on the cob
- Extra Butter per taste
- More salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the water, milk, chicken broth concentrate and butter in a medium sized saucepan on the stove top and heat over medium heat till boiling.
- Place the frozen corn on the cob into the water and allow liquid to come to a boil again.
- Remove the corn on the cob using kitchen tongs as it starts to boil.
- Place in a bowl and smear with extra butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Check the corn for freezer burn before cooking. Freezer burn looks like white chalky crust or over white colored kernels, large ice crystals, shriveled kernels.
- Consider topping your corn with a variety of toppings like red pepper flakes, Mexican crumbling cheese, paprika, etc.
- Corn on the cob goes great with a cookout of hamburgers or a family meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
This article originally appeared on Loaves and Dishes on November 18, 2018 and has been updated with more cooking tips and tricks, pro tips, an updated recipe card and reconnected to it's YouTube video.
There's a lot of strife in the world. Many do not believe, maybe they never did. He has to know who believes and who is his.
Matthew 10:34
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Ellen says
This is awesome!! There aren’t many who have Bible verses on their page. Love it!!
Now, I have a question, when a person is not nice to actually, abusing and cruel.
You keep trying, when your talking to them, and asking God to give you the words to say, and help me nit to be ugly. They are still mean and say things that aren’t nice. Blaming, shaming, and joy stealers.
You pray for this person, and keep being nice.
Jesus doesn’t want us to be miserable, nor He doesn’t want us to be abused.
So what would you do in this situation?
I love this place you have here.
Wendi Spraker says
There's probably a world of difference between what I would do and what I should do. I have a list of "rules for life" that I follow and one of them is "avoid poison". Generally, I consider someone like this poison and I completely steer clear of them (as much as humanly possible). That said, yes, pray for the person, avoid them if possible but when you get right down to the nuts and bolts I try to think about who Jesus was as a human being. I can't give you an answer, you'll have to answer for yourself, based on what you know of Jesus. What do you think Jesus expects us to do when our happiness conflicts with what he has told us to do? What did we see Jesus do in this situation? I mean, today is Easter. By our accounting, Jesus died on the cross to save us from our own sins. I'm 100% positive that this did not make him happy. We see in his example what we should do, always. On the cross he prayed for those murdering him, "Forgive them, they know not what they do". So..... I don't actually have any answers and I know how I have behaved when faced with bullies in the past. I do know how Jesus behaved when faced with something he didn't want to do and when it made him miserable. He is a much better example than I am. The perfect example, as a matter of fact.
Lauren Rea says
Very comprehensive and helpful - every time I thought of a question, I just scrolled down and it was already answered!
Wendi Spraker says
Wonderful! Thanks Lauren! Thanks for leaving a comment!
Kristen Cyr says
This came out very good. I had a milky mess all over my stove as the milk frothed all over the place when it started boiling. Any suggestions for avoiding this next time?
Wendi Spraker says
It sounds like you had a pan that was too small for the job? When you see the liquid starting to simmer, cut the heat a little so that it doesn't get so bubbly. This will help too. Thanks for leaving me a comment!
Maria says
Just came across your website...I Love how detailed your recipes are.Thank You for that.You are a Life Saver !!!!!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Maria. I've made almost every mistake in the book so I try to be super clear and spell everything out to a T to save you from making the same mistakes. Thank you so much for leaving a rating and comment, I appreciate it so much!
Debbie says
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I can’t wait to try it. Your recipe calls for 4 cups of milk while your video says 1 cup. I’m going to follow the video but thought I would point out the difference. Thanks again!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Debbie, This recipe is SO variable based on what you have in your kitchen. One cup works fine, four cups will be more milky. During these times of needing to save a little, I would go with one! 🙂 Enjoy!
Cyndi says
How long do you boil the corn for? I’m scared to overcook it 😩
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Cyndi, this is reliant on the corn that you purchased. Please check the bag and it will give you the total time for that specific length and size of corn. Generally speaking, the corn should boil for about 5 minutes or so if you are using frozen.
PATRICIA says
Wendy maybe I missed it but why do you use milk to cook your corn
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Patricia, I don't know if I included it in the post, but I can certainly go back and add it. The milk gives that corn the BEST creamy flavor! If you haven't tried it, give it a go, you won't be disappointed!
Tim Shirk says
Winter came early here in ND. Are there any ways to use unripened corn? Many cobs are filled but white color. Thoughts?
Wendi Spraker says
I'm not really the expert for that Tim, but I'm thinking that the baby corn we enjoy in stir fries are immature corn. So, do you eat a lot of stir fry?
Jo says
Milk intolerant and there's no need for milk! Also you meft out oven cooking them and bbq!
Jo says
Left!
Wendi Spraker says
If you are milk intolerant, you should leave off the milk and use a similar amount of water or chicken stock instead.
maddie says
Excellent summary of different methods. My favorite is on te grill - just follow the recipe!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Maddie,
Thanks so much for the words of support! 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Gloria Harrison says
Sounds so yummy cooked in the crockpot. Am going to try it that way for the 4th of July cook out!
Wendi Spraker says
Wonderful! Enjoy!
Missy says
Excellent
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Missy! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! Please come back and try something else sometime!
https://thewolfnetwork.net says
I too conceive thus, perfectly composed post!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi. Thank you!
Jim says
In the microwave instructions you changed from corn to broccoli. FYI...
Wendi Spraker says
Good EYE Jim! Thanks for pointing that out. I must have had my mind on broccoli while I was writing about corn! lol. The other day I called my brother in law my son because we had been talking about my son just before meeting up with the brother in law when I had to make introductions! lol. Old brain. 🙂
Moxie says
You give all the perfect instructions
Wendi Spraker says
Thanks Moxie!