Sweet Corn On The Cob

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Enjoy one of the best treats of a summertime state fair: sweet Corn On The Cob. It's buttery and delicious, and so easy to make at home.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Fall Dish, Side Dish, Summer, Summer Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 281kcal

Fill a large stockpot with enough water to cover the ears of corn, and place the pot on the stove with the heat set to high.
On each ear of corn, carefully pull back the leaves as far as you can without ripping or removing them to expose the silk.
Remove as much of the silk as you can, then fold the leaves back up around the corn. If you want you can remove one long, thin leaf and use it to tie up the corn at the top.

When the water comes to a boil place the ears of corn in the water. Boil the corn for 10 to 20 minutes—the freshest ears of corn will cook the quickest.

Using tongs remove the corn from the water and place them in a colander to drain, angled so that the tops are pointing down to let the water run out. Allow the ears to cool for 10 minutes.
Carefully hold the ear with a potholder or towel and peel back the leaves, folding them down at the bottom of the corn. You can tie the leaves with some kitchen string or wrap them in a cloth napkin or paper towel. Now you have a handle for your corn.

Time for the butter! Hold the corn over a plate or bowl and ladle melted butter over the kernels, turning to coat the entire ear. Allow the excess butter to drip off and then place the corn on plates to serve.
Sprinkle the ears of corn with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy the corn while it's hot! Makes 4 servings.

To honor the method used at the fair, the recipe below calls for the ears of corn to be boiled in their husks (the silk is removed first.) With these husks still on, the corn takes up more room, requiring a very large stock pot—if you don't have a pot this large, shuck the corn and cook the naked ears in a smaller pot
At the fair, the corn is dunked into a vat of melted butter. This can be done at home if you have a tall, narrow heatproof container (like a large mason jar.) Or, melt butter in a wide, shallow pot. Add in the cooked ears of corn and roll them around to coat them.