Freshly harvested corn on the cob is a treasured rite of summer, head to the farmers market or check for Arkansas Grown corn in your local grocery because the time to enjoy it is right now. Sweet, crisp and oh so yummy, this humble vegetable is able to capture the essence of the season in a single, satisfying bite. On top of that, it’s easy to prepare and guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters at your table.
How to Buy
Sweet corn starts converting its sweet tasting sugars to starches as soon as the farmer picks it. Ideally, you want to try and eat it the same day it is picked, or as close as you possibly can. How do you know it is fresh? Check to make sure the ear is full and plump and the silk at the end is a golden brown and just a little sticky. Fact: each individual silk is attached to a piece of a kernel of corn, so the more silk then more kernels of corn. The stalk end of the ear needs to be green, if it is starting to brown or looks real dry, it is getting old. Make sure the husk is a beautiful green and not dry.
To check the freshness, pull the top of the husk away from the ear and pierce a kernel with your fingernail. If the kernel releases a slightly cloudy juice it is typically a fresh batch. If the kernels are dented or discolored, the corn is not fresh.
Quick Sweet Corn Husking
I am about to let you all in on a secret, one that has been kept from me for years. Finally, a farmer friend let me in on it, took me three seasons of running a farmers market to earn a place in the corn husking tip trusted circle.
1. Place one fresh ear of corn on a microwave safe plate.
2. Place in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes.
3. Cut off the end and squeeze the tasseled end and pop the corn out!
It comes out clean and ready to eat. Make sure you squeeze the corn over a plate (or a monogrammed cutting board, thanks to my friend Paul Michael) and not over the floor, I am not real sure how I know this, but trust me or your puppy will be enjoying that fresh piece of deliciousness and not you.
Stripping Corn Kernels
A lot recipes, such as creamed corn, corn salads, corn chowder, oh, the list goes on, require stripping the corn kernels away from the cob. In practice, it’s a bit tricky as the corn cob can slip from its position, and the kernels can go flying all over the place (see puppy eating corn above).
I don’t have a fancy tool to remove corn kernels from the cob, but I am fancy enough to have a Bundt pan. The Bundt pan helps hold the cob in place and neatly catches corn kernels and milk as you shave them.
Stand cob in center of Bundt pan, I prefer putting the small end. Cut the kernels off the cob. The, turn your knife over and scrape down the cob to release its juices.
No more flying corn kernels.
Have you had your first taste of Arkansas corn yet this summer? What are some of your fresh corn tips and tricks?
Stephanie, aka The Park Wife, is a tribe builder. She is the founder of Arkansas Women Bloggers (ARWB), an online community designed to gather, grow, and connect social media influencers in our state. Considered an old-timer in the blog world, since 2005 she has written what she hopes is a love letter to her children on her lifestyle blog, The Park Wife. Raised in the debutante world of Mississippi, she married a hunky park ranger and moved to Arkansas 15 years ago and has fallen in love with the state. She loves gardening, porch swings, a beautifully set table, a delicious meal surrounded by great conversations, their cabin in the woods and monograming everything that is not nailed down. She is a devoted wife and fun-loving, homeschool mom to two extraordinarily cool little gentlemen and is fortunate enough to live on one of Arkansas’s premier state parks.