Another Corn on the Cob
It's the end of summer, which means it's prime time for corn. When the season comes, take advantage of the resources available, which means right around this time every year you should make corn on the cob whenever you get the chance.
Many people get stuck in their ways when it comes to cooking: you know what works, and you stick with it. This is fine, but sometimes the recipe your mother or grandmother gave you is not the best way to go. This corn on the cob recipe cuts down on unnecessary, messy preparation while keeping all of the flavor.
Yellow or Silver Queen corn left in the husks
Butter, salt and pepper, OR Old Bay (optional)
Preparation:
Submerge the corn, still in the husks, in cold water for half an hour or so, letting the leaves get full and flush.
Fire up the grill, arrange the ears on the grate, and close the lid. The corn will actually steam in its own husk. The kernels will be bright, glossy, and plump. To test, after about 15 minutes on the grill, pull the husk down a little on one ear and press a kernel with the tip of your finger. If it's ready for the table, the kernel will split and spray juice. If they're ready, take them off the grill, shuck them, and serve.
Benefits:
You know the bright, glossy, plump look mentioned above? Well much of that, when cooked in the traditional boil method, gets... well... boiled away. The grill method is gentler on the corn because it's essentially cooking itself.
Ears cooked in their husks can be closed up in a cooler or a pot with a lid and they will stay hot and moist for an hour or more. Try that with boiled corn on the cob and you'll be serving a cold, mushy, lifeless fare.
It seems for some unknown reason, husking corn in large quantities is not exactly a much sought-after kitchen job. When the call goes out for corn shuckers, people all of a sudden remember very important tasks that need to be completed right away, or they feel their "carpel tunnel" coming on, or they lose their eye sight from another well-timed migraine. However, when you prepare your corn on the grill, the only corn anyone shucks is whatever corn they are eating.
Fire up the grill, arrange the ears on the grate, and close the lid. The corn will actually steam in its own husk. The kernels will be bright, glossy, and plump. To test, after about 15 minutes on the grill, pull the husk down a little on one ear and press a kernel with the tip of your finger. If it's ready for the table, the kernel will split and spray juice. If they're ready, take them off the grill, shuck them, and serve.
Benefits:
You know the bright, glossy, plump look mentioned above? Well much of that, when cooked in the traditional boil method, gets... well... boiled away. The grill method is gentler on the corn because it's essentially cooking itself.
Ears cooked in their husks can be closed up in a cooler or a pot with a lid and they will stay hot and moist for an hour or more. Try that with boiled corn on the cob and you'll be serving a cold, mushy, lifeless fare.
It seems for some unknown reason, husking corn in large quantities is not exactly a much sought-after kitchen job. When the call goes out for corn shuckers, people all of a sudden remember very important tasks that need to be completed right away, or they feel their "carpel tunnel" coming on, or they lose their eye sight from another well-timed migraine. However, when you prepare your corn on the grill, the only corn anyone shucks is whatever corn they are eating.
Keep checking the blog to see Tony's Recipe of the Month. Did you try this recipe? Let us know what you thought of it and if you have questions for the chef, post them below!
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