Sweet, salty, and creamy. There’s maybe no better way to enjoy fresh summer corn than Country-Fried Corn. It’s the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken or pork chops and has long been a southern favorite.
The secret to this delicious side dish is to cut the kernels from the cob and then scrape all that milk and pulp off the cob. It helps flavor and thicken the fried corn.
Of course, bacon doesn’t hurt either.
Once you cut the kernels off, you’ll go back over the cobs multiple times with a knife scraping all that you can off the cob. No waste here.
Type of Corn To Use
I typically use a sweet white corn like the fan favorite Silver Queen. But any corn can be used. The fresher the better though.
This recipe is based off of Miss Mary Bobo’s recipe found in Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Cookbook: A Celebration of Traditional Southern Dishes that Made Miss Mary Bobo’s an American Legend
. Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House has been serving up delicious homestyle southern food in Lynchburg Tennessee for over 100 years. This cookbook is one I turn to again and again for the simple southern comfort food that I grew up eating.
What To Serve Country-Fried Skillet Corn With
This cream corn dish goes well with so many southern foods. I especially love it with fried chicken or Southern Fried Pork Chops. It also goes well with Southern Baked Chicken or Pulled Pork.
Other Ingredients
Country Fried Corn is cooked in hot bacon drippings with a little sugar, milk, cornstarch, butter, and black pepper. I like to add a few red pepper flakes too.
Just plain simple ingredients is really all you need to turn fresh produce into mouthwatering food.
Cast Iron Skillet
This recipe is best made in a cast iron skillet. There are so many things to love about cast iron. Not only does it conduct heat really well, it will last for generations so it is a great investment.
Recipe Tips
Corn can vary quite a bit in sweetness. If your corn isn’t that sweet, add extra sugar. This corn recipe should be pretty sweet. It’s what makes it hard to stop eating.
For extra richness, add a splash of heavy cream at the end.
Never miss a recipe! Follow Spicy Southern Kitchen on Pinterest and Instagram.
More Corn Recipes
- The BEST Way to Cook Corn on the Cob
- Jalapeno Honey Butter Corn
- Grilled Garlic Parmesan Corn
- Chipotle Corn Salad
- Corn Maque Choux
- Jalapeno Popper Grilled Corn Salad
Country-Fried Corn
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ears corn
- 3 slices bacon
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes,, optional
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut off the tips of the kernels (cut about halfway down the kernel.)
- Then cut the bottom part of the kernels off. Place all corn kernels in a large bowl.
- With the back of a knife scrape the cobs to get all of the “milk”. Place in bowl with kernels.
- In a heavy skillet (9 to 10-inch works well and preferably cast iron) cook bacon until crisp. Remove cooked bacon from skillet and place on paper towels.
- Add all corn kernels to the bacon fat and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Add water and sugar and stir continuously until mixture begins to thicken. (May take about 5 minutes.)
- Place cornstarch in a small bowl, and gradually stir in milk.
- Add cornstarch mixture to corn. Continue to cook until thickened.
- Stir in butter, both peppers, and salt to taste. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe slightly adapted from Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Cookbook: A Celebration of Traditional Southern Dishes that Made Miss Mary Bobo’s an American Legend
Sharing this recipe with The Weekend Potluck.
Originally posted Jully 22, 2015.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Can you use can corn.
I don’t recommend using canned corn for this.
Love southern cream corn. One of the favorite things my mother made. (Virginia) I have never made it though. So just wondering if the corn on the cob is cooked or raw when you cut the kernels??
Use raw corn on the cob when you cut the kernals and “milk” the cob. The corn and milk will cook in the bacon grease.
My family in Texas consider this dish one of the world’s treats, but we only make it with Field Corn (Dent Corn), which differs greatly from sweet corn. This is the corn grown for live stock feed and is usually grown and left in the fields to dry out, however in the two weeks when it first ripens and in plump with starchy liquid, it is very edible. It has no self-life and must be shucked and cut soon after being picked. The final dish will not be sweet, but starchy and crispy at the same time. We make ours with butter, but bacon fat would be good too.
The trick is finding fresh field corn the first two weeks in June here in Texas.
I live in Alabama and look high and low for white field corn these days, and it’s just not to be found! What the heck?
Hey there !! So I’ll be trying this this afternoon after work , because I’m from the south and I’ve never in my life heard of this dish !! I mean NC is pretty southern right ? I’m so serious though I found this recipe first on another blog , the other lady in my opinion, was throwing off on the way southern people cook!! She was an Italian Lady from up north , I don’t think that I cook with the mind frame , more is better like , if one stick of butter does the trick I don’t feel the need to add two ! Was basically the comment that was made,! Any how it’s neither here nor there but I’ll be trying your recipe for dinner tonight , I’ll let ya know how it goes !!! Everything else , I’ve ever made from your blog has been amazing !!! I have no doubt this will also be !!! Thanks for listening to my vent !!! Have a great one !!
Thank you sooo much! My grandmother passed away and she made fried corn exactly like this (-minus the sugar I think) for over 20 years I been trying to figure it out! This is the recipe!! Thank you so much!