Microwave Corn
Each of us has memories of how mom or grandma used to make corn on the cob. Probably the most well known method is to husk the corn and remove all of the silk and then boil the corn in a big pot for as long as it takes to get good and tender and ready to serve. And when you put that plate stacked high with steaming corn on the cob, there may be no better compliment to a cook out or for any summer meal. Its fun to eat and it tastes great. So when you are planning a barbecue meal for family or for a gathering of friends, corn on the cob seems like a must.
The boiling method of making corn on the cob works but it is messy and difficult and you have to start well in advance to have the corn ready when your guests arrive. A nice alternative that many do not know is even possible is to prepare your corn on the cob in the microwave. The process is pretty easy and maybe easier than the boiling method. And the outcome is corn that is ready to eat right out of the cob.
To prepare the corn, do not husk it. Simply peel back the husk and remove the silk. Then add several thin tabs of butter, salt and any other seasonings and close up the husk again. You want the husk to hug the cob throughout the cooking process so if you have to use rubber bands to make sure it’s a good fit, that works fine. Fix up all of the corn you want to cook that way and position them in the microwave.
Now microwave the corn at about 2 minutes per ear. You can adjust that depending on how many ears you are cooking. For four ears of corn, go around 8-10 minutes on high. If you are doing a lot of ears of corn in the same cooking in the microwave, reduce the per ear time to around a minute and a half per ear. You can play with this until you get a feel for what it takes to get the corn well cooked.
Once you do the math on how long to cook the corn, interrupt the cycle at the halfway point and turn the corn. Using a microwave turntable won't do it because you want to turn the corn upside down so all sides get cooked well. Finally, when the cycle is done, take all of the corn out and wrap them in a cotton towel to trap the heat for 3-5 minutes. It is fun to serve the corn right out of the towel so each ear is nice and warm and your guests can husk and eat the corn at the table.
Not only is this a fun way to make and serve the corn, it is a delicious way because you can prepare delicious herb and butter mixtures to use on the corn as it cooks. It is so delicious this way that you may never heat a pot of water to boil your corn again.