How to Cook Corn on the Cob on the Stove

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How to Cook Corn on the Cob on the Stove

Fast, delicious and the perfect way to cook summer perfect corn on the cob every single time.

Prep Time8

Cook Time10

Total Time18

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to cook corn on the cob on the stove

Servings: servings

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Cost: $5

Equipment

1 6 quart stock pot
1 large kitchen knife

Ingredients

4 ears corn sweet (yellow, white or bicolor)
1 tbs salt
4 tbs butter optional
3 cups whole milk optional

Instructions

Fill a 6-8 quart stock pot with water and set on the stove to heat on high on a large burner. Place the lid on the pot for quicker boiling. Add 1 tbs salt.
Shuck corn (see tips below) and remove strings (tassels). Add the butter to the water if you are using the optional ingredients.
When the water is boiling, add the corn to the stock pot. If using optional ingredients, add milk now.
Allow water to return to a boil and reduce heat to medium (keep water boiling). When the corn changes color (deeper, richer color), remove corn from the water with tongs and place on a platter. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

To understand how much corn on the cob to prepare, figure a whole ear per person. The exception to this is if you have a full menu of other items, you have eaters who have delicate appetites or folks who aren't avid corn on the cob eaters. If any of that is true, cut back to half a cob per person and cut the corn into half before cooking.
When selecting corn at the store or farm stand, look for corn with moist and green shucks and tassels that aren't completely dried out. Pull the shuck back just a bit and look at the kernels. If the kernels are caved in on the top, find other corn.
Corn should have a fresh corn smell. If it smells acidic or "off" then go for something different because that corn is past its prime.
Keep corn refrigerated until you are ready to use it.
When cleaning the corn, especially if you purchased the corn from a farmer who doesn't spray his fields for bugs, you'll want to remove the top 10% of the cob before removing the shucks. This is often where corn worms live and it's best to just avoid seeing them altogether.
Cutting that top end off also makes it easier to get as many of the tassels as possible off.
Set the water on to boil right away before starting any other job and put a lid on the pot. You'll need enough water to cover all of the corn in boiling water. Usually this is about 5-6 quarts.
Add the salt to the water when setting it on the heat. If you are following the "pro tips" for the corn, go ahead and add the butter too but wait to add the milk until you are ready to add the corn.
Make a note to yourself about the color of the corn when you are adding it to the boiling water because when it changes color and becomes more bright, it is done.
It takes about 10 minutes or less of boiling for your corn to be done.
Adding the salt, butter and milk to the water gives it a ton of flavor.

Nutrition