How To Boil Corn

Add enticing vegetables to any dinner by learning how to boil corn to perfection. Corn on the cob can be grilled on the barbeque, cooked in the microwave, or steamed, but nothing brings out the flavor of corn on the cob like boiling it. Get your family to eat their vegetables tonight by serving boiled corn on the cob coated with melted butter and a sprinkle of salt.

To boil corn, you will need:

• Ears of corn
• Pot with a lid
• Tongs
• Water

1. Start boiling water. Choose a pot large enough to hold the ears of corn. Fill the pot ½ to ¾ full with water. Turn the heat on high and get the water boiling.
2. Prepare the corn for boiling. To prepare corn on the cob for boiling it must be shucked. This means to rip off the corn husks (outer leaves). Peel the ear of corn clean. Remove as much of the strand of silk beneath the husk as possible. Run the ear of corn under a stream of water to remove stubborn strands of silk.
3. Boil the corn. As soon as the water is at a full boil place the ears of corn in the boiling water. Cover the pot with a lid. Like with any vegetable, the longer you cook it the softer it gets. Depending on how soft you want the corn to be, cook it between three and ten minutes. Use a fork to pierce a corn kernel on a ear of corn to check for doneness.
4. Serve the corn. When the boiled corn reaches the desired softness, turn off the heat, and lift each ear out of the pot using tongs. Garnish with butter, salt, and/or pepper to taste.

Tips/Warnings: If corn on the cob is going to be a regular part of your diet, consider buying cob holders, which are small handles that are inserted at each end of an ear of corn, to protect fingers from burns. Boiled corn on the cob is extremely hot. Use caution when handling freshly boiled corn on the cob.