How to Boil Fresh Corn

Corn begins to change as soon as it is picked from the stalk. After the kernels are separated from the plant, their sugar slowly turns into starch; sweetness fades and the texture becomes mealy. This change speeds up in warm conditions and slows down in the cold. That is why the most important decision about corn is made at the store: an ear picked the same day gives a very different result from one picked days earlier. Do not let corn sit after shopping; cooking it the same day gives the best result. Freshness is one of the most important things to look for when buying corn.

Look for a few signs when choosing corn. The husks should be bright green and moist, not yellowed and dry. The silk at the tip should look brown but sticky, not completely dry. When the husks are gently pulled back, the kernels should look plump and tightly arranged; pressing a kernel with a fingernail should release a milky liquid. If it does not, the corn has been sitting for a while. You cannot make the same check on packaged corn, so choose corn in its husk when possible. Most of these signs are hidden on husked corn, making it harder to judge.

The boiling method is simple. Bring plenty of water to a boil in a wide pot; the ears need room to move freely. Remove the husks and silk. Add the ears to the boiling water and leave the pot uncovered. A few minutes is often enough for fresh corn; older, starchier corn needs more time, but no amount of boiling can make it sweet again. Place the ears side by side in the pot, not on top of each other; crowded ears do not cook evenly.

What to add to the water is debated. Salt is usually added at the end, with the corn salted on the plate; little of the salt added to the water reaches the kernels anyway. Some cooks add milk or butter to the water to enrich the flavor. Adding a few husk leaves to the water gives it a light corn aroma. Sugar cannot replace freshness: it will not sweeten mealy corn; it only masks the flavor. Taste the cooking water before discarding it; if it is sweet, you can use it in soup.

Check doneness by tasting. Pick up 1 kernel with a fork and try it; the corn is ready when the kernel is plump, juicy, and sweet. Overboiled corn shrivels, its skin toughens, and it loses moisture. Serve corn as soon as it comes out of the water because it cools and toughens as it sits. If storing it, cool the ears without removing the kernels from the cob, then refrigerate them. To store kernels separately, let the corn cool, then cut the kernels off with a knife and keep them in a covered container. Leftover boiled corn keeps in the refrigerator for a few days and can be used cold in a salad.