How to choose the right corn, as well as how and how long to cook it so that the product turns out to be soft and tender enough - read in this article.

Boiled corn - Many people's favorite summer dish. As soon as it ripens in the garden or appears on the shelves, we immediately bring it home.

Corn is not only very tasty, aromatic and juicy, but also very beneficial for the human body. It contains vitamins such as: B, C, D, K, PP, composition: copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, glutamic acid, etc.

How to choose corn for cooking

Fresh and young corn must be purchased during the season, which ends no later than August. If you buy it later, the fruit may be hard or overripe.

If you cook corn, it is better to use cobs with milky light or white-yellow grains. If the grains are soft and elastic, located close to each other and have the same size, then such corn will be very juicy and tender. A strong yellow tint indicates that the cob is quite old and may taste tough.

Also look at the leaves, they should be yellowish and dry. Do not buy corn without leaves and ensure that the kernels are round and without dimples.

How to prepare corn

  1. Rinse the cob under clean water, and also clean the leaves from any dirt or rotten leaves.
  2. Also, before cooking, it is recommended to soak the corn in not too cold water for 1-2 hours.
  3. Cobs of the same size are cooked together. It is advisable to divide cobs that are too large into two equal parts.
  4. If the corn is ripe, then many housewives first clean the cobs from fibers and leaves, then cut them into 2 parts and fill them with a special mixture. The liquid is prepared from cold water and milk in a 1:1 ratio. Place corn in this mixture for 4-6 hours, and then the plant can be boiled in plain water.

How long to cook corn

Before cooking corn, it is necessary to determine its ripeness. Young cobs are boiled for no more than 30 minutes, and ripe fruit should be boiled for about 40 minutes. Cobs that are too ripe usually require more than 2 hours of cooking.

The plant must be immersed in boiling water and it is advisable to add salt only 3-5 minutes before cooking or during serving.

To give the corn a juicy and tender taste, it is recommended to add a little butter or sugar to the water. Also, do not cook the plant over high heat; after boiling, reduce the heat to low.

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After cooking, eat the corn immediately; you can eat it with butter and salt. Do not leave it in the refrigerator as it will harden.

How to cook delicious corn - video


Boiled corn is one of the delicacies whose taste is invariably associated with summer. In addition, it is very useful, as it contains magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium, as well as vitamins B, C, D, PP. The cooking process is quite simple, but it is very important to determine the optimal cooking time. So how long should you cook corn on the cob to get the perfect flavor?

Cooking time depends on what you cook the corn in. For this purpose, you can use not only a regular saucepan, but also a microwave, double boiler, or multicooker.

Corn in a pan

Cooking in a saucepan is a traditional method of cooking corn on the cob that is accessible to everyone. This is exactly how the grandmothers, to whom we came on vacation as children, cooked. Corn cobs from the pan, served piping hot, have a real taste of childhood.

In many families, corn is cooked according to grandmother's recipes, that is, in hours. In fact, there is no need for this.

Young corn

Much depends on the variety and degree of maturity of the cobs. How long should you cook young corn? Just 10-15 minutes is enough.

How can young cobs be distinguished from old ones? Young corn kernels are almost white or pale yellow. In addition, it should have rich green leaves and cool, slightly moist tendrils. If juice comes out when pressed with your fingernail, then the corn is really young and fresh.

It is better to eat corn immediately after cooking. If you let it cool, it will become hard.

old corn

In mature cobs, the grains are bright yellow. They can also turn out very tasty if prepared correctly. How long does it take to cook old corn? 30-40 minutes is usually enough. It all depends on your personal preferences. If you like dense grains, then half an hour will be enough.

How long should you cook to make the boiled corn very fluffy? In this case, the cooking time can be increased, but not more than 45 minutes.

  • It is not necessary to clear the leaves from the cob. You can cook the cobs with them.
  • Before cooking, it is recommended to soak the corn in water and leave it for an hour.
  • It is better to cook cobs of approximately the same size at the same time. Otherwise, the corn may be partially undercooked or overcooked.
  • If the cobs are large, it is better to cut them in half before cooking.
  • If the corn is overripe, then you need to keep it in a mixture of equal amounts of water and milk for 4 hours. As a result, it will become very soft and juicy.
  • It is necessary to lower the cobs into already boiling water.
  • Salt the water 5 minutes before the corn is ready. If you do this too early, the grains will lose their softness.
  • If you add a small amount of butter or sugar to the water, the corn will be especially tender.

Never cook cobs over high heat. It should be reduced as soon as the water boils.

Frozen corn

The season for fresh young corn is very short. In fact, we can only enjoy it in August. But fortunately, frozen corn is available year-round. It's even easier to prepare than fresh.

Frozen corn simply needs to be submerged in water and simmered until done. Typically, after secondary boiling, the complete cooking time does not exceed 20-25 minutes.

Corn in the microwave

In this case, only young cobs are suitable. How long should you cook corn in the microwave without adding water? 10 minutes at a power of 800 W is enough. In this case, the corn should be placed in a food bag and tied tightly. If you cut off part of the cob, leaving the corn in the leaves, then 5 minutes will be enough for cooking at the same power.

How many minutes should I cook corn in the microwave with water? It will take 45 minutes at a power of 700-800 W. In this case, the corn should be placed in a microwave-safe container, filled with water and covered. It is necessary to ensure that the water does not boil away during the cooking process, and if necessary, add boiling water.

Corn in a steamer

Young corn can be cooked in this way in 5-10 minutes, and old corn in 40. The cobs along with the leaves are placed in a steamer mold, and 1 glass of water is poured in to create steam.

Why is it better to cook corn in a double boiler? In this case, it retains most of the nutrients that simply go into the water during normal cooking.

Unusual recipes for corn in a double boiler

Recipe No. 1. The shelled corn cob is brushed with olive oil, pepper and salt, and any fresh herbs you like. The most commonly used are cilantro, dill, thyme, basil, sage, rosemary, marjoram, and tarragon.

Recipe No. 2. 2-3 ears should be coated with olive oil and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. Next, the corn is poured with the juice of half a lime, sprinkled with ground red pepper and cumin.

Recipe No. 3. A peeled ear of corn is brushed with coke milk and seasoned with pepper and salt. Next you need to add some garlic powder and curry powder.

Corn in a slow cooker

How long to cook corn in a slow cooker? If the cobs are young, then you need to set the time to 15 minutes. For mature corn, the best option is 20-30 minutes. First, it’s better to wait a quarter of an hour and check the dish for readiness, and then add time if necessary.

How to cook corn in a slow cooker? The cobs are thoroughly cleaned of leaves and tendrils and placed in a bowl. Then they need to be filled with cold water. There are no specific recommendations for its use - the main thing is that it does not exceed the maximum level. Previously removed corn leaves should be placed on top of the cobs. After closing the multicooker, select the “beans” program. Does your equipment not have such functionality? Then you can choose any analogue - “cooking”, “soup”, etc. When the corn is ready, you just need to take out the bowl and drain the water.

Corn is a special plant, common, but at the same time mysterious and not fully understood. This is a tall-stemmed plant with long leaves, which does not require special care and produces a stable harvest in the form of cobs. For consumption, cobs that have reached milky-wax ripeness are boiled, baked, dried, and then ground into cereal and flour. Other cooking methods are also used. The most common and simplest of them is boiled corn.

How to cook corn in a saucepan?

First, the cobs are cleared of leaves and fibers called corn silk. The bottom of the pan is covered with leaves. Ears of equal size and ripeness are placed on them. The top is also covered with leaves and filled with water. After which the pan is placed on the stove. So much water should be poured so that the corn is completely covered and more on top - depending on ripeness. If the cobs are highly mature, then additional cooking and more water are required.

When cooking, you should take into account not only the degree of maturity of the grains, but also the variety. Corn can be sugary, dense, fodder, milky, glassy, ​​white or different shades, brown. How long does it take to cook corn in a saucepan? Typically, for young, juicy cobs, 10 to 30 minutes of boiling is sufficient. Young fodder corn should be cooked longer - 1.5 hours. It will take 3 to 5 hours to boil old cobs.

Queen of the Fields

Corn occupies one of the important places among grain crops. It grows on the fertile soils of vast fields in central Russia, in the Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories. All parts of this plant are used for consumption: leaves, stems, cobs, stigmas. In a young, immature state, it is used to feed livestock and to make silage. The finished grain is processed into flour, cereals, starch, and medicines: glucose, corn oil. Stigmas are used to treat kidney and genitourinary tract diseases. In everyday life it is used as a dietary product. Many people know how to cook corn in a pan, because they don’t mind eating a boiled, salted cob.

The dry stem along with leaves is a good feed for cattle in winter. The stalks, freed from grains, are ground and used as animal feed. The grain is used to produce alcohol. Waste from production is used for fertilizers.

Composition and healing properties of the plant

Corn is rich in vitamins B, C, E, PP, as well as microelements necessary for the body, such as iodine, fluorine, molybdenum, iron. Moreover, it is the only plant that contains gold.

The healing properties of the plant have not yet been fully studied. Those that are already known are widely used in traditional and folk medicine. It is used as a choleretic agent in the treatment of kidneys, to enhance the body's resistance to various diseases. The presence of plant proteins and fiber has a beneficial effect on the body. Corn oil helps eliminate bad cholesterol.

Beneficial features

The benefits of eating maize are invaluable. “Corn: boiling is a time to give thanks” is a timely saying because it will truly be time well spent! During cooking, the cobs do not lose their healing properties. Unlike other plants, corn does not absorb pesticides. This is environmentally friendly food without harmful impurities.

How to cook corn in a saucepan should be clear to everyone. It is simple, safe and healthy: it lowers blood sugar levels and promotes cell regeneration. It can be eaten by nursing mothers - breast milk is saturated with useful substances. Corn will help relieve constipation.

Cooking methods

Corn can be prepared as desired to suit any taste: boiled, fried, baked on the cob or grains, cooked porridge, baked pancakes, bread. In the republics of Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus, corn flour is widely used to prepare national dishes - dumplings, churek. The latter is baked over coals and eaten with sour milk and cheese. Dumplings - with melted butter. Corn dishes are nutritious and easily digestible.

From starch you can prepare various jelly with the addition of berries to your taste. To do this, first boil the berries in free water. For 1.5 liters of water, take a handful of currants and one hundred grams of sugar. Separately, 20 g of starch is stirred in cold water and poured into boiling water with constant stirring. You should not boil for a long time - two minutes is enough. Pouring jelly into glasses or cups to cool, you get not only a beautiful, but also a delicious dessert.

In addition, corn is often baked in the oven or microwave.

Contraindications

Along with its positive qualities, corn also has contraindications. It can reduce appetite and lead to weight loss. Therefore, it is contraindicated for thin people, especially those suffering from stomach ulcers. You should not get carried away with it in case of thrombosis - corn promotes blood clotting. However, depriving yourself of a delicious, aromatic cob forever is wrong. It just shouldn't be overused. Occasionally you can allow yourself to eat an ear or two. To do this, it is useful to know how to cook corn correctly.

There are several ways: in a pressure cooker, in a double boiler. But the more common method described above is to cook the corn in a saucepan over low heat. But it’s even better to cook young fresh cobs. In 15 minutes of boiling they will be ready and suitable for consumption. To determine readiness, just press the grain with a fork. If it pierces easily, it's ready.

Cooking young corn

It does not require much time or labor to prepare it. The recipe for boiling corn in a pan, described above, is also applicable for young cobs. The only difference is the cooking time. Young corn cooks much faster than “old” corn. Ripe and dried grains can be prepared as an independent dish. They can be fried in a frying pan. A certain variety produces soft and airy popcorn.

Young corn should be boiled only on the cob. Its fresh juicy grains cannot be prepared any other way. How long does it take to cook young corn? Just 10-15 minutes.

If the leaves on the cob are dry and yellowed and the corn silk is dark brown, the kernels will be overripe, dry, and hard. It will take at least four hours to cook them. When the grains are softened and taste like porridge, they are ready. How long to cook corn on the cob in a pan depends on its degree of maturity.

Ripe cobs

You can make soup from old dry grains. To do this, they should be soaked for 3 hours in cold water. Cook with beans and smoked pork ribs. Salt should be added at the end of cooking. Coriander is added as a seasoning. This soup takes a long time to cook - about 2 hours, but it turns out rich and very tasty.

How long to cook corn on the cob in a pan depends on its degree of maturity. It is very useful for the body, but you should not abuse it. We must remember that it may contain substances that cause individual intolerance. There is no need to risk your health; you should consult a doctor.

As autumn approaches, corn season begins. Fresh cobs are very juicy and appetizing, almost everyone likes their taste. But how street vendors prepare it remains questionable. It’s better to figure out how to cook corn at home and enjoy it without

any fears. A couple of simple steps - and the perfect side dish for the whole family is ready. It is important not only to know how to cook, but also to choose the cobs. Let's take a closer look at the process.

Making the right choice

Even if you know for sure that it is soft and juicy, the dish may turn out tasteless due to old dry cobs. Choose young, small, light-colored cobs. The bright yellows and oranges are clearly overripe and will be very tough. It’s also easy to make sure it’s juicy - break off one grain and crush it with your fingers. If it is soft and easily yields, the corn is young and fresh. If the grain has hardened and dried out, the cob has been cut off long ago or is simply completely overripe. Of course, they can also be prepared fairly well, but if you have a choice, it’s better to take younger cobs.

Before you start cooking, you should remove the leaves from the cobs and rinse them under running water. Don't throw away the tops - they should be placed in the bottom of the corn cooking pot.

This way the cobs will not burn when they come into contact with the bottom. In addition, using the leaves before they are soft and juicy also provides a special taste, acting as a seasoning. Fill the cobs with water until they are completely covered. Be sure to use a saucepan with a lid for cooking, which can be removed only after the water has boiled. Don't add salt right away.

How long should I cook?

You've learned how to cook corn soft and juicy right before, and the pan with the cobs is already on the stove. How long to wait for a delicious dish? Start counting from the beginning of boiling. Young cobs will be ready in a quarter of an hour. To prevent the grains from bursting during cooking, add salt to the already boiled water. A teaspoon will be enough for a liter of water. note

Note that it is strictly not recommended to add salt to the water when cooking overripe corn. It will turn out too tough. How to cook corn soft and juicy if it is old and dry? Cook for at least fifty minutes, in some cases up to one and a half hours. You can use a fork to make sure the cobs are cooked. Separate a few grains and taste. If they are soft, you can turn off the heat. To improve the taste of overripe cobs, it is recommended to keep them in the broth for a couple of hours after turning off the stove. The young ones can be eaten immediately, while still hot. As a rule, no special additions are required. Simply season with coarse salt or lightly grease with butter. If you wish, you can try olive oil, or you can do without any oil at all, especially if the cobs are very soft and juicy on their own, but with cream the taste will be more delicate and milky.

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Corn has a lot of beneficial properties and contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals and acids important for health. Many of us remember the taste of boiled yellowish grains from childhood. And, as soon as it appears on the shelves, we are happy to buy fresh cobs.

But to make our summer dish tasty and the grains soft, you need to know some cooking secrets, in particular, how and how long to cook corn?

We’ll talk about this today on the Popular About Health website. We will also learn how to cook “milk” and very mature cobs.

How long to cook corn in a saucepan

Cooking time depends on the degree of maturity of the cereal. The older it is, the longer it takes to cook, for example:

Young cobs with soft, light-colored grains are cooked for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Well ripened, with yellow grains - 30-40 minutes.

If corn has been stored for a long time, its grains are a rich yellow color and very hard. Therefore, you need to cook it for a long time, up to 2-3 hours.

However, it is equally important not to overcook it. If the cooking time is exceeded, the grains will begin to harden.

Some cooking tips

The degree of ripeness of the cobs affects not only the duration of cooking, but also the taste of the final product. If they are stored for a long time, the grains dry out, and the sugar included in their composition is converted into starch. Therefore, the older the corn, the less sweetness and characteristic aroma it retains.

However, a lot depends on the method of preparation, in this case, cooking:

To get tasty, aromatic boiled corn, it is recommended to boil young cobs in slightly salted water (1 tsp per 1 liter of water). Although many people prefer to sugar the water instead of adding salt. Salt is applied to the finished cobs. Here, it's at your discretion.

Old ones must be cooked in fresh water, then the grains will not be too hard.

It is better to cook corn in a saucepan with thick walls, with a tightly closed lid. This way it will steam better and fully retain its aroma.

Cooking young corn on the cob

You can cook it in a double boiler, slow cooker or microwave. We'll talk about how to cook corn in a pan:

Remove leaves and runners from the corn and wash under cold running water. Wash the leaves too and place them in a layer on the bottom of the pan. Mark the cobs on top. Break the ones that are too big in half.

Add water to cover them completely and still have about 3-4 cm left on top. Cover with a lid and turn on the heat. When it boils, reduce the temperature and cook the corn for 20-30 minutes. When the grains become soft, you're done.

Remove it with a slotted spoon or fork. If you haven't salted the water, salt the cobs. For juiciness, you can lightly grease it with butter.

Cooking milk corn

The very first, so-called milk corn, should be cooked for a very short time. Its grains are already very soft, delicate, milky in color, with a slight yellowish tint. When you press on them, juice is released.

It is prepared like this:

Remove leaves and tendrils and wash. Boil water in a saucepan and add the cobs. When it boils again, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for no more than 10 minutes.

Remove the finished corn with a slotted spoon, add salt, brush with butter and serve immediately.

Try not to overcook the milk cobs. Otherwise, the grains will become hard and not as tasty.

Cooking mature cobs

It is believed that young corn is much tastier and healthier than mature corn, whose grains are very dense and yellow. However, this is not for everyone. Fully ripened corn is no less healthy, and many consider its taste and aroma more intense.

Prepare like this:

Peel the cobs (do not throw away the leaves), cover with cold water for 1 hour. Now wash it. Place a layer of leaves on the bottom of the pan, with the cobs on top. Break large ones in half. Separately, boil water and pour in the corn until it remains a few centimeters above the surface. At this stage, you can add more leaves on top if there are any left.

Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to just a gentle simmer. Leave in the pan for about 40-60 minutes. Check readiness with a fork - pierce the grains. If soft, you're done. Remove the cobs with a slotted spoon, rub with salt, and serve immediately.

Healing properties of corn decoction

It is known that this cereal is rich in nutrients and has healing properties. However, not everyone knows that the decoction that remains after cooking corn has pronounced medicinal properties. Especially if the cobs were boiled together with leaves and tendrils (stigmas).

In particular, it is used to treat diseases of the pancreas and is taken to normalize metabolic processes. It is useful to drink it for nervous disorders. It is recommended for older people as a means of stopping the aging process.

If we talk about corn silk, then a decoction of them has a wide range of medicinal properties. It is recommended to be taken as a diuretic and choleretic agent. Included in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts. It helps cope with kidney stones and relieves swelling.

So boil the corn, eat the aromatic grains and drink its healing infusion. The season for these cereals is not that long, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Be healthy!