In this article, you will learn how to cook corn on the cob and corn kernels at home; how long it takes to cook corn in a rice cooker, pressure cooker, and pot. Corn is at the same time delicious and loaded with healthy benefits. Therefore, our advice to you will be not to hesitate and when the season comes for young corncobs, visit your nearest farmer’s markets. Including this vegetable in your diet will be a smart thing to do.
You may also like: How to measure corn without scales.
How long do you cook corn?
There are certain characteristics that you must consider to determine the time you will need to cook your corn. Whether you have it in cobs, or just corn kernels, frozen or raw; whether you have corn fresh or old. If you are just interested in how long you cook corn, here is the list where you can check this information depending on the method of cooking:
- How long to boil corn on the cob in a pot? As a rule, fresh corncobs cook for 5-7 minutes in boiling water (sometimes it can take you up to 15-20 minutes to make your corn tender, you always have an option to check your corncobs while boiling).
- How long to boil frozen corn on the cob? It can take up to 10 minutes to cook frozen corncobs after they come to a boil.
- How long do you boil frozen corn kernels? Frozen corn kernels boil up to 10 minutes in a pot on the stove.
- How long to boil corn in a pressure cooker? You cook corn for 2-3 minutes in a pressure cooker on a “high pressure” setting.
- How long to steam corn in a steamer? It will take you 7-15 minutes to cook corn in a steamer.
- How long to steam corn in a rice cooker? Steam corn on the cob in a rice cooker for 15 minutes.
- How long does it take to cook corn in the microwave? You cook 1 medium-sized corn on the cob for 4 minutes in the microwave.
If you want to know how you can cook corn on the cob and corn kernels, then keep reading our article.
How to cook corn on the cob in a pot?
Boiling corncobs in a pot are one of the easiest ways to cook corn at home. You just need water, a large pot, and corncobs. As a result, you get soft, juicy, and delicious corn. Let’s see the process of cooking corn in a pot on the stove step-by-step.
Boiled Corn on the Cob Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 corns on the cob
- water for boiling
Instructions
- You need to start with husking corn. Peel off the entire husk and silk from the corn, rinse the corncobs under running water.
- Boil water in a large pot on the stove. Make sure that amount of water will be enough; corn should be covered with water. If corncobs are too big, you can divide them in half.
- Before placing corn in the pot, you can add sugar to make it sweeter. Do not add salt while your corn is boiling. Salt toughens the corn.
- Carefully transfer corncobs into boiling water, cover the pot and then wait for the water to return boiling. Lower the heat to medium and cook corn for 5-7 minutes or until it is tender. It can take you up to 15 minutes, as it depends on how mature your corn is. You can always check corn while boiling in the pot with a fork.
- Remove corncobs from boiling water; let them drain for a minute or two. They are ready to be served. Do not forget that they are straight out from boiling water, be careful not to burn yourself. Add salt and pepper to your taste, and roll cobs in butter.
How to boil frozen corn on the cob? There is a slight difference in the process of boiling frozen corn from fresh. Take a large saucepan, put frozen corn on the cob and cover with cold water. Put the pan on the stove; bring to a boil over high heat. When water with corn boils, lower heat to medium and wait for 5-10 minutes for corn to cook. It is a great way to cook frozen corncobs without overcooking.
How to boil corn kernels in a pot?
Since boiled corn kernels can be a part of a salad or a great side dish by itself, next we will tell you how you can cook frozen corn kernels:
- Put a saucepan with water on a stove and let it boil on high heat.
- Add frozen corn kernels to the boiling water and cover the pot. You do not have to thaw corn before adding it to a pan.
- Let the water come to a boil again and only then reduce heat to medium.
- Cook corn kernels for 5-10 minutes until tender. You can always check by tasting but be careful, do not burn your mouth.
- After corn kernels are ready, drain them from water, add pepper, salt, and butter to your taste and mix them.
Note that you can add any seasoning that you like: cumin, chili powder, any freshly minced herbs; you have an infinite number of options.
How to steam corn on the cob?
There are several ways to steam corncobs; the way you use them will depend on what kitchen appliances you have. Even though there are several differences in the methods of steaming corn, the first step remains the same. You have to prepare corncobs first: clean them from the husk, peel away the husk with silks, and then rinse the cobs with water. Now choose a method to steam corn:
- How to steam corn on the cob in a steamer? Put a stainless steel steamer or just a pot on the stove, fill it with water and wait for it to boil. Place a steamer basket (water should not touch the bottom of a steamer basket), transfer corncobs with tongs into the basket, and cover the steamer with a lid. Cook for 7-15 minutes.
- How to steam frozen corn kernels? Steaming frozen corn kernels in a steamer is the same as steaming fresh corn on the cob. You add water to a pan, put it on the stove, wait for the water to boil, then add a steamer basket with frozen corn kernels in it, close the pan with a lid and let corn kernels steam for up to 10 minutes. Drain them before serving.
- How to cook corn in a rice cooker? It is not big of a problem if you do not own an individual food steamer as you can use your rice cooker or multi-cooker for steaming vegetables. The process is as simple as it can be. You fill the bottom of your cooker with 1/3 cup of water, insert a steam rack, and put corncobs onto it. Close the lead and set your timer for 15 minutes. If you are using a multi-cooker, you have to press STEAM before setting your timer.
- How to steam corn in a pressure cooker? Follow these steps: add 1 cup of water to a pressure cooker, place a steamer basket with corncobs inside, and lock the lid. Select “High Pressure” and cook corn for 2-3 minutes. Choose “Quick Release” for a pressure release method. Be careful while opening the lid.
How to cook corn in a microwave?
As always, there are many ways how to make corn cob in microwave. Here is a simple piece of advice, try them all to figure out the way you will like your corn. Let us look at the basic methods of microwaving corn:
- How to microwave corn on the cobs? Here is the easiest recipe for corn on the cob in the microwave. The easiest way is to take your corncob un-shucked, put it into the microwave, set it to a ‘HIGH’ cooking setting, and microwave for 4 minutes. 4 minutes for one corncob. Therefore, if you have 2 corncobs, set the timer to 8 minutes. Do not microwave more than two corncobs at a time. Set the ears aside to cool down, and then cut off the base of a corn ear with pulled-down husk and silk.
- How to cook frozen corn kernels in the microwave? Note that you do not have to thaw frozen kernels beforehand. Take a microwave-safe bowl and spread frozen corn kernels in one layer. If you like your corn slightly softer, just add 1-2 tablespoons of water. General cooking time will be 4-5 minutes, but we have some advice for you: stir kernels every two minutes as heating can be uneven. You can always check your corn and extend its cooking period if necessary.
In this article, we listed basic methods on how you can cook corn on the cob, the most popular methods on how you can cook frozen corn kernels, and how long these cooking processes will take you. If you found our article helpful, please share it with your friends. If you know any other methods how you can cook delicious corn, feel free to leave comments in the section below.
