Last year when I posted about how much I like roasting corn, I had several people tell me that the most delicious way to cook corn is to boil it with a cup of milk and a stick butter. I finally got around to trying it and I agree – this is the most delicious way to cook corn.
If you haven’t tried cooking corn this way, you must.
The corn cooks up so flavorful, fresh tasting and rich. You’ll be so obsessed with it you won’t even care what else is being served.
No need to slather butter all over the corn. This corn already has a buttery taste.
Just a little salt and pepper and this corn on the cob is ready to go.
And actually, if you use a stick of salted butter, you might find you don’t even need to add any salt.
Some people add sugar too, but I find the corn available around here during the summer is already sweet enough.
If you suspect your corn is a little lacking in flavor, you might want to add some sugar to perk it up.
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Best Way to Cook Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 6-8 ears of corn,, husks and silks removed and cut in half (if desired)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 stick Challenge butter
Instructions
- Fill a large pot about halfway with water.
- Bring water to a boil.
- Add milk and butter. Add corn and reduce heat.
- Simmer corn for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove corn from cooking liquid and its ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Could you throw it on the grill for a couple minutes afterwards to give it that grilled flavor?
I think that might work. Let us know if you try it!
I grill my unhusked corn directly over the hot coals for 10–15 minutes each side , turning once , after soaking it in water for 30 minutes. Then I remove the husk and throw a couple chunks of my favorite smoking wood right on the hot coals, Pecan works really well. A couple minutes of serious smoke (Or more), delicious!!
I soak the corn in the milk/butter/sugar water for a couple hours, remove to boil water, then toss corn back in to cook, YUMMO!
What do you think. Could this be made in a crock pot for a cookout?
I haven’t tried it but I think it could.
I love my corn roasted but this is my all time favorite!! Only difference is besides adding the sugar, my Grannie always added 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream when she added the milk. I guess for those worried about the extra calories you could use half & half but if I were going to do that I’d definitely use at least 1/2 cup. I’ve tried it without the cream but…”it ain’t like Granninie’s” lol. Since becoming a Nana myself, my grandchildren have reminded me of something I’ve known all along and that’s “Grandma” (no matter what you call her) is ALWAYS the best cook…lol. Thanks for the great recipes!!
I must be daft at making corn. Do you seriously only cook it for 6-8 minutes? I boiled mine for like an hour to get it done to the point it does not taste like starch. I didn’t see any benefit flavor wise cooking it with butter and milk. The only thing I did different was I may have used too much water and my corn cobs were full size. : /
7 minutes is perfect. You are killing your corn on the cob.
I too thought it needed to cook longer.
You can even eat corn raw!
Delicious!! Sweet!!
It does NOT need to be cooked that long at all!!!!
I agree, you’re OVERKILLING it cooking it that long!!!!
Just try it cooked less. You’ll LOVE it!! ?❤️?
Cooking too long breaks the natural sugar down into starch. That is why it tastes like starch. If the corn is fresh and tastes sweet raw cook only long enough to make it tender.
I have always cooked my corn at least 20 min…..I know recipes say 8 min. or so but I won’t eat it if it’s not tender……Been cooking it for years & will always touch the kernels to see if they’re getting soft…..I also don’t like corn that is fully ripe with big hard kernels…If I’m tasting the starch, I won’t eat it.
holey Moley…then you are eating field corn ! 3-5 minutes top…or find another seller !!!!
Agree! 3-5 minutes is plenty of time and its crisp and delishious!!
My mother taught me – you are only cooking the kernels NOT the cob. She was born in 1922 – on a farm.
If your corn is starchy, it was starchy to begin with! Corn starts to turn to starch as soon as it is picked, the best corn is picked and eaten in the same day. 🙂 I know this thread is a year old, but just had to add! Cheers!
I agree. I’ve also heard if you refrigerate it, it will turn to starch.
We’ve always said if you trip on the way in from the garden the corn’s too old. We pick and husk the corn in the garden. Best if you pick when the kernels are not too big because that means the corn is old and it will be starchy. The water is on the boil when we bring the corn in from the garden. Drop the corn into the pot and when the water comes back to a boil keep cooking for 5 to 8 minutes. If you have planted a good variety it can be relied on to be sweet without any help or additions beyond table butter and salt. When purchasing corn, find a grower who picks and sells fresh every day and purchase as early in the day as possible. Look for ears with smaller kernels and fresh and green husks. Good eating!
Could the corn be cooked like this then be frozen on or off the cob??
I use a little salt pork in my water. It makes a big difference.
That sounds fabulous Kent!
It sure does, Kent! Good call on using that multipurpose pork here!
Will using unsweetened vanilla flavored almond milk ruin the taste of this recipe? It’s the only kind of milk I buy. Or, should I just use water and still add a stick of butter?
Hi Lori, I’m not really sure but I don’t think it would have an adverse effect on the taste.
I tries this last season with Vanilla Soy Milk. People raved about the corn. The vanilla does not impact the awesome flavor of this corn.
Corn is actually more tender without salt in the water. Give it a try.
I’m tempted to add 2 cups (or more ) of milk instead of 1 has anyone tried that? I mean, why not? Going to make a cream soup with the stock anyway 😉
I tried it w/ frozen corn on the cob, it was fine. However, i hate wasting that milk / butter mixture…anyone have any ideas on how it can be reused?
Someone had commented that they freeze it and use it to add to soups. I would think that it could be added to any type of creamy soup. 🙂
Use the leftover milk / butter for mashed potatoes or freeze and use in many different options – soup, casseroles, pot pies, etc…
Never thought of using it for mashed potatoes 🙂
I’d use the butter/milk mixture to make creamed corn with the leftover corn (my husband doesn’t like corn on the cob but loves creamed corn.
I’d buy extra corn and boil it in the liquid so I’d have extra for creamed corn or chowder.
I also think the liquid would be a great base for corn chowder as well. Use it to cook the potatoes then add the corn. Celery, onion, and carrots and maybe some red bell peppers would be a great base (I’d brown the vegetables in another pan and add them with the potatoes so they’ll better flavor the potatoes. If you want to get more fancy and serve this chowder for a special dinner or company, add some lump crab meat at the end ( if cooked too much, the crab will just get tough! Shrimp would also be really tasty.) I’d use an Emulsion stick blender to blend up the potatoes. Doing that will make the soup creamy with less cream. –Evaporated milk would also make both the corn and chowder more creamy. ( Try it in coffee and espresso, too!)
Love the efficiency and creativity of using the corn stock as a base for soups, etc.! My only change would be to cook the corn first, as the potatoes might add too much starch to it and overwhelm the corn taste. Also, you might throw the cobs back into the brew for a bit, in order to add some more corn flavor; grilling them a bit before doing so might also enhance this.
My go-to addition is pickle juice, which I save for long periods of time, since it last for months in the reefer. It’s a great addition to the water used for cooking pasta salads, and then to sprinkle over the cooked pasta before it cools and the other ingredients are added. I bet a few tablespoon of it would work well here to give the corn a bit of a zip.
I was of thinking of cooking my salt potatoes in it. Then it’s not wasted of just the corn.
Salt potatoes!! Are you from Rochester ny? ?My husband’s family makes them.
I’m from Elmira and I LOVE salt potatoes! !
What are salt potatoes? I bet they are WONDERFUL!