How to cook corn in a saucepan soft and juicy. How to cook corn so it's soft

With the onset of the season, many people want to enjoy such a tasty and healthy product as corn. But how to cook it so that it remains soft and does not lose its beneficial properties? We will talk about this in our article.

For cooking you will need a wide pan. To ensure that cooked corn is truly delicious, it is not recommended to break the cobs, so choose an appropriately sized pan. The pan should also be deep and have thick walls.

We begin to place the corn in a pre-prepared pan. First, cover the bottom with leaves and place the cobs on top of them. Also place leaves on the sides to prevent the corn from touching the pan. Place the “antennae” on top - this will preserve the aroma and give a sweet taste.

After you have placed the corn, pour cold water into the pan. It should completely cover the corn. Close the pan tightly with a lid and place on high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 40 minutes. Some varieties take longer to cook - about 3-4 hours.

While cooking, periodically check the corn for doneness. Make sure the water continues to simmer even over low heat. Do not allow water to evaporate below the corn cob line. If the grains have become soft, you can remove the pan from the heat.

If it's winter, but you still want corn, you can cook it from frozen cobs. They are sold in almost every supermarket. Just put the corn in boiling water. This corn is cooked for 25-30 minutes.

Corn in the microwave

There are two ways to cook corn in the microwave. For both, you will need corn that has been washed and cleared of leaves and tendrils.

Fill the corn with water and put it in the microwave for 45 minutes, 800 watts. If the whole corn does not fit, you can cut it. Make sure the water covers the corn completely.
Place the corn in microwaveable food bags. Leave for 7 minutes, 800 Watt possible.

Corn in a pressure cooker

We wash the unpeeled corn, add water and cook. Usually 10-15 minutes is enough for the corn to cook.

Corn in a steamer

If you have the opportunity, steam the corn. At the same time, it will retain all the nutrients, and the pleasant sweet taste and aroma will not go into the water.

Clean the cob, rinse it and place it in the steam basket. Cooking time for corn in a double boiler ranges from 10-15 minutes. Just in case, check the instructions that come with each steamer.

Corn in milk

Washed and peeled corn cobs are poured with milk and cooked in the microwave for 30-45 minutes. You can add a little to milk butter for taste.

Another method is to cook only the corn kernels. They are poured with milk, butter is added and cooked until soft. You can drain the milk and serve. Or, add 2 tbsp to milk. spoons of toasted flour, a little salt and boil.

Corn is very tasty and useful product, which is used in cooking to prepare various dishes. Boiled corn is mainly used, so it is extremely important to learn how to properly cook corn so that it turns out soft and juicy. Cooking time for corn depends on how ripe it is, as well as its variety. Corn is divided into food and feed. Feed corn is suitable for cooking, but it must be cooked much longer than edible corn. Feed corn is cooked for 3-4 hours, while food corn is cooked for 10 to 30 minutes. Young corn cooks much faster than overripe corn. To choose young corn, you should pay attention to its color; the lighter the corn, the younger it is. Also, when buying corn, you need to look at its grains; if a hole appears in them, it means the corn is very old or young, but has already been lying on the market or in the store for too long. This kind of corn is unsuitable for eating, because when cooked, no matter how much time it takes, corn with dimples in the center will never become soft.

Also, if you know how to cook corn correctly, you can preserve its flavor and taste qualities. Before cooking the corn, you need to prepare it. To do this, the corn needs to be cleaned of fibers and leaves, then rinsed well, put in a large saucepan and pour cold water. The water should cover the corn by 10 centimeters. To prevent the corn from burning, you can line the bottom of the pan with corn leaves. You can also boil corn in the leaves, but always without the fibers.

When the corn boils, then cook it over medium heat. Corn cannot be salted during cooking because salt water will make it hard. To improve the taste, you can add a little butter and sugar to the corn to taste.

We must not forget that during the cooking process the water will boil away, so periodically you need to look into the pan and add water as needed.

To find out whether the corn is cooked or not, you need to take out an ear of corn, cut off a piece, cool it and taste it. Other methods of checking, such as piercing with a fork or emanating aroma, are not suitable here.

Corn can also be cooked in the microwave or steamed. Corn can also be boiled in crumbly form. To do this, the cobs are first dipped in boiling water, kept for 1 minute, then immediately dipped in ice water. This procedure will allow you to remove the seeds from the cob with a knife very quickly and easily. In this way, corn is prepared for salads or as a side dish.

Boiled corn is one of the most delicious and beloved summer delicacies. As soon as it appears on store shelves, we rush to buy at least a couple of cobs to enjoy a delicacy familiar from childhood. Both adults and children love boiled corn. Despite the fact that this culinary masterpiece is quite simple in appearance, many do not know how to properly cook corn so that it retains all its taste and nutritional value. As they say experienced chefs, preparing this dish at home is really not that difficult. But it’s still a good idea to learn about some of the secrets and subtleties of this process. How to cook corn correctly? How to choose a product? How to eat it and how to properly preserve it? What are the benefits and harms of boiled corn? We will try to answer all these questions in our article.

Story

It is known that corn appeared on Russian territory in the 17th century. She came from the south of Ukraine, Crimea and the Caucasus. The benefits of eating cooked cereals were noticed immediately. In the 19th century, its seeds were distributed to the population free of charge, and trade in boiled corn was encouraged everywhere in cities.

About the benefits of the product

Incredibly tasty, juicy and aromatic, it has a lot of beneficial properties for human health. Much has been written about the benefits and harms of boiled corn. According to experts, corn contains a huge amount of vitamins (PP, K, D, B, C, etc.), in addition, it contains copper, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, glutamic acid and others necessary for a person substances. It is called a real treasure trove of vitamins and microelements! To provide the body with the necessary nutrients It is enough to eat 40-50 g of corn per day.

The beneficial properties of this crop are preserved even when cooked: the shell of its seed is not destroyed during the cooking process. The extraordinary positive effect of boiled corn flavored with butter is noted in the treatment of constipation, diseases of the heart, liver, blood vessels, gout and nephritis. Boiled corn silks are recommended for use for hepatitis, cholangitis, cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. For gastritis, pureed corn soup is introduced into the diet, which has a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa. Eating boiled corn helps slow down the aging process of tissues and prevent the development of cancer.

The satiety of this culture is explained by the fact that it is quite high in calories. In this indicator, corn is ahead of some varieties of legumes; 100 g of its grains contain up to 300-350 kcal.

The value of corn also lies in the fact that it does not accumulate or retain chemicals entering the soil in the form of fertilizers. In terms of its environmental safety, corn is ahead of many other agricultural crops.

Contraindications

It should be noted that boiled corn is not equally healthy for everyone. This product Contraindicated for people suffering from increased blood clotting and poor appetite.

The most gentle preparation

Experts say that healing properties Corn is best preserved when steamed. During the cooking process part useful substances leaves the grains into the water. When steamed, corn retains all essential vitamins. In addition, many consider steamed corn to be juicier and sweeter.

About product selection

And yet, it is boiled corn that is most popular among residents of the countries of the former CIS. For many, the pressing question is how to properly cook corn.

Experts say that in order for corn to be juicy and soft after cooking, first of all, it is necessary to choose the right cobs for cooking. What kind of corn should I cook? The cobs are completely identical only at first glance; in fact, they can differ greatly in their taste, depending on the variety, type of corn and its degree of maturity.

About the varietal and species diversity of crops

Experts divide all corn into two types: sweet (food) and feed, intended for livestock feed. Both are used as food. Some gourmets prefer harsh and non-sweetening feed varieties. But it is edible corn that users single out as the most delicious. Everyone knows that its sweet juicy grains melt in your mouth.

Many people are interested in the question of how long to cook corn. Young corn of early varieties is cooked for 15 minutes. up to 1 hour. To prepare forage and late varieties, it will take from 2 to 5 hours.

Corn lovers should remember that natural fresh young corn can be bought on the market only during the season ending in August. Ears sold later most often turn out to be hard and overripe. Experts say that cobs with light yellow or milky white grains are best suited for cooking. The presence of a bright yellow color indicates their “advanced” age. Corn grains should be soft but elastic, equal in size and located close to each other. We can determine that we have a young cob in front of us by next sign: young grains contain a special white viscous liquid similar to milk. If the grains are not completely round, but with dimples, this means that the corn is overripe and is not suitable for cooking. It is also important to consider appearance leaves: they should not be yellow, dry and very far behind the cobs. It is not recommended to choose corn without leaves.

How to cook corn correctly: preparatory stage

Before cooking, the cob is washed under running water and cleaned of dirty and spoiled leaves. This is not a necessary procedure. Corn can also be cooked with leaves (clean). Before cooking, it is recommended to soak the cobs for 1 hour in cool water. They should be about the same size, otherwise the corn will not cook evenly. Large cobs are cut in half before cooking.

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Corn leaves are placed at the bottom of the pan, and peeled cobs are placed on them. Leaves should also be placed on the sides so that the product does not come into contact with the walls of the pan. The top of the cobs is also covered with leaves and “antennae” are added - they will make the corn appetizing and sweet. After this, add water so that all the cobs are completely covered and put the pan on the fire.

How long will it take to cook

How long to cook corn, as already mentioned, depends only on how ripe it is. The riper it is, the longer its cooking time will be. For young cobs it will take no more than 20-30 minutes. Ripe corn is cooked for about 30-40 minutes. Overripe cobs are boiled for about 2-3 hours. It is very important not to overcook the corn, otherwise the kernels will become hard.

About dishes

Many people are interested in how to cook corn in a saucepan. Which cookware should you choose for cooking? According to experts, it is best to cook corn cobs in a thick-walled pan or cauldron made of cast iron. The container must have a good lid, as cooking sometimes takes a long time. For boiling corn, a deep and wide pan is best, into which the whole cob can easily fit. In the absence of such a capacious container, the cobs can be broken into more than a few pieces. Corn can also be cooked in a microwave oven or in a double boiler. In addition, the product can be baked in the oven.

If the corn is overripe

Masters know a means by which overripe corn can be made juicy and soft when boiled. To do this, before starting the process, the cobs are freed from leaves and fibers, cut in half, poured with a mixture of milk and cold water (1:1), in which the product is kept for 4 hours. After this, the cobs are boiled in plain water.

For those wondering how to boil corn on the cob, experienced housewives recommend:

The corn should be placed in already boiling water.
There is no need to add salt to the water during cooking, otherwise the corn kernels will become hard. Salt the product in 5 minutes. until ready or when serving.
You can add a little sugar or butter to the water. These products will give the corn a delicate taste.
It is not recommended to cook corn over very high heat. After it boils, the flame must be reduced. So that everything is preserved on the cob beneficial properties, they should be cooked over low heat at temperatures up to 250 degrees.
Boiled corn is eaten immediately after cooking, as it hardens as it cools.
The readiness of the corn is determined by taste; you can also check the softness of the corn kernels using a fork.
If the size of the cobs is too large for the pan, then they are cut into pieces.

Corn cooked in a steamer

There are many interesting answers to the question of how to cook boiled corn. One common method is to cook this popular delicacy in a double boiler. The corn is washed and placed in a mold. Pour one glass of water to create steam. Young corn is boiled in a double boiler for 5-10 minutes. For forage varieties or overripe cobs, it will take about 40 minutes.

Corn cooked in the oven

The cobs are washed, cleaned and placed tightly in a deep baking dish, which is pre-greased with butter (butter). Pour boiling water so that it barely covers the product. The oven is heated to 120 degrees, a form with cobs is placed in it and baked for 40 minutes.

Cooking corn in a pressure cooker

The washed cobs are placed in a pressure cooker and filled with water so that it completely covers the corn. Young cobs will be cooked in 10-15 minutes; old or fodder ones will take longer - up to 40 minutes.

How to cook boiled corn in the microwave? Recipe without water

This method is the fastest. Only young corn is suitable for microwave cooking. Place it in a food bag (plastic), tie it tightly and cook for 10 minutes. at a power of 800 W. You can also cut off part of the cob and leave it in the leaves. Corn is boiled in own juice about 5 minutes.

Microwave Corn: Recipe with Water

The washed corn is placed in a microwave oven container, filled with water and covered with a lid. The microwave is set to 700-800 W. It is necessary to control that the water does not boil away. If necessary, add boiling water to the container. Using this cooking method, you will have boiled corn in 45 minutes.

How to eat corn

After cooking, boiled corn is infused in a saucepan under a lid for 10 minutes. Due to the internal temperature, it becomes softer. After this time, the finished corn is taken out of the pan, greased with butter, sprinkled with spices and salt. It should be served hot. Corn cobs are not eaten. The taste of boiled corn can be varied by sprinkling it with grated hard cheese.

About storage

Raw corn will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks before cooking. Boiled cobs should be eaten immediately as soon as they are cooked, as over time they lose their nutritional properties. It is permissible to store boiled corn in the refrigerator directly in its broth for two days, but no more.

Corn was brought to Europe from sunny Mexico in the 16th century. European gourmets could not resist this exquisite delicacy, and corn, appetizing, juicy, ripe, sugary and tender, with a tantalizing aroma, took its rightful place on the tables of royalty and the poor. There are many ways to cook corn, and they are all simple; the main thing is to choose high-quality cobs and master some of the subtleties of preparing the vegetable. In this case, success is guaranteed!

Choosing the “right” cobs

If you want corn dishes to be tasty, soft and nutritious, you should carefully choose it in the store or at the market. It is advisable to buy cobs with leaves, which are a natural “packaging” for grains, protecting them from spoilage and mechanical damage. At the same time, it is good if the leaves are green and not yellow, since this indicates the degree of freshness of the vegetable, and soft, milky-yellow, sweet grains without mold, spots and bald spots should be easily separated from the cob. Bright yellow and hard grains tend to be tough and tasteless after cooking.

Secrets of cooking corn

Before cooking, corn can be soaked for a couple of hours to soften the grains.
It is best to cook cobs in unsalted water, as salt makes the grains tough.
You can cook corn directly with the leaves, after removing the fibers - this will give it flavor and juiciness.
Cook young corn for no more than 20 minutes, and overripe corn for at least 2 hours. During the cooking process, you can take a sample - if the grain is soft, tasty and sweet, the corn is ready!
Drain the water, close the pan with a lid and wrap it in a warm towel, since the cobs should “cook” a little after cooking. This evaporation will make the corn more tender and palatable.
Peel the leaves from the cobs, sprinkle with salt, pour in butter, and you can begin the royal meal.

Alternative ways to cook corn

In the oven. Grease a deep form with oil, place the washed cobs, pour in water (it should cover the cobs halfway), cover the form with foil and place in the oven for 40-120 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the grains.

In a steamer. Fill the container with water, grease the grate with butter, add the corn and cook for 40 minutes with the lid tightly closed.

In the microwave. Soak the cobs for an hour in cool water, then place them in a plastic bag, add a couple of tablespoons of water, tie tightly and make several small holes for steam to escape. Microwave the corn at maximum power for 15 minutes in a special bowl.

In a convection oven. Wrap the cobs in cling film, place in a convection oven and bake at 210 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

In a slow cooker. Pour water into the multicooker until maximum level, lay out the cobs, cover them with the removed leaves, set the mode high pressure, and in 15 minutes the juicy, spicy and amazingly tender corn is ready!

Corn can be grilled or made from delicious salads, popcorn, tortilla chips, polenta, cornbread, canning, frying, adding to soups, pizza, pie fillings and vegetable stews. A huge number of varieties of corn grow in Mexico - white, red, blue, and even black, but for us Russians, yellow is enough if you learn how to cook it correctly and tastefully!

Now there is a lot of canned corn on store shelves, which can be added to soup, main courses, baked goods and salads.

But there's nothing better than freshly cooked corn on the cob. She gives off such a scent!

But it turns out that not everyone knows how to cook it. How to choose for cooking.

The fact is that not just any cob can be cooked.

After all There are several types of corn: starchy, bursting, tooth-like, sugary, siliceous.

Sweet corn is used for cooking. Despite the fact that this is a grain crop, it is the table varieties, to which this corn belongs, that are equated to vegetable plants.

To cook corn, do not wait until it is completely ripe. It is harvested when the cobs are in the milky-waxy ripeness phase.. At this time, the corn kernels are very soft, juicy, as if filled with milk.

It is then that corn grain is most useful and is a valuable food product.

Corn kernels contain B vitamins, carotene, vitamin E, and large number microelements: magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium.
Almost all the amino acids that the body needs are present.
For better absorption of the proteins found in corn, it is recommended to consume it in combination with milk, cheese and other dairy products. They enrich corn dishes with amino acids important for the body: tryptophan, lysine, methionine.
Dishes made from milky corn are not only recommended healthy people, but also used in dietary nutrition, as they improve digestion.

How to choose corn for cooking

The cobs prepared for boiling should not be overripe. After all, the hardened grain will remain the same after cooking. It should be soft and at the stage of milky-waxy ripeness. The color of this corn is milky white or slightly yellowish. If the grains are bright yellow in color, then they are already overripe, which means they are hard.
The shape of the grains also matters. The grains of milk-ripe corn are dense and round. Fully ripened grains develop dents, which indicate that the corn is overripe and is not very suitable for cooking.
Young corn has green and bright leaves. They fit tightly to the cob. Old corn leaves are already dry and hard.
Cobs for cooking are selected from maximum number grains that should not be eaten by insects or disease.
It is not recommended to buy corn without leaves. This may indicate that the corn has been attacked by pests or is overripe.
Picked ears of corn cannot be stored. Firstly, the sugars that are in the grain begin to turn into starch from long-term storage. And secondly, ripened grain will dry out and become unsuitable for cooking, and slightly unripe grain may rot.

How to prepare corn for cooking

Before cooking, remove the stem from the cob so that the leaves do not fall off. Because corn is cooked with them.
The cob is washed well under running cold water.

How to properly cook corn in a saucepan

Method 1

Corn is prepared as described above.
Place in a wide pan.
Pour in cold water so that it covers the cobs.
Place on the stove and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cook the cobs at a low simmer until tender. Cooking time (from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours) depends on the variety and degree of ripeness of the corn. Well-cooked grains are soft and have a pleasant taste and smell.
At the end of cooking, add salt. If you add salt at the beginning, the grains can remain hard for a very long time.
Turn off the heat and leave the cobs in the liquid for 20-30 minutes.
They take it out of the water.
Boiled corn is freed from leaves and placed on a plate. Serve a piece of butter separately.

Method 2

Cook the prepared corn together with the leaves at a low boil until tender.
At the end of cooking, add salt.
Remove the pan from the stove and keep the corn in the water for some more time.
Remove the cobs from the liquid and remove the leaves.
The grains are separated.
Place them on a plate and pour butter or milk sauce over them.
If the grains are needed for a salad or vinaigrette, pour them into a colander and wash in cold water and wait until it drains completely.

Method 3. Corn in milk

Corn of milky ripeness is freed from leaves and washed well under cold running water.
The grains are separated from the cobs.
Pour hot milk over them and cook until tender (take 200 ml of milk for 150 g of grains).
10 g of butter is mixed with 8 g of flour.
Combine with milk and corn and boil, stirring. Season with salt.

How else is corn cooked?

Many housewives peel corn from leaves and boil it in this form.

Take a wide pan and place leaves taken from the cobs on the bottom.
The stalk and top of corn are cut off, which most often is without grains or dried out. If the cobs are very long, then they are cut in half.
Place in a pan and cover with the remaining leaves on top. This will help the cobs not float to the surface.
Fill with water. It's better to use boiling water.
Place on the stove and bring to a boil at maximum heat.
Reduce heat and cook corn until soft.
Remove the pan from the stove, and leave the cobs in the water for another 15–20 minutes.
Place the corn on a plate and sprinkle with salt.

How to cook corn in a slow cooker

The corn stalk is cut off and the leaves are removed. The top without grains is also cut off.
Wash well in cold water.
If the cobs are large, cut them in half.
Several leaves are placed at the bottom of the bowl, and corn is placed on them.
Pour enough water to cover the cobs by 3–4 cm. Cover the top with leaves. Do not cook corn in large batches to avoid water splashing over the edge of the bowl.
Close the multicooker and turn on the “Steam” function.
Cook for 30–40 minutes.
Leave the cobs in water for 20 minutes and then place them on a plate.

How to cook corn in the microwave

Method 1

The peeled and washed corn is placed in a durable plastic bag or a baking sleeve and tie it. Punctures are made in several places with a needle to allow steam to escape.
Place the packaged cobs in the microwave.
On high power cook for 8–10 minutes.

Method 2

The de-leafed and washed corn is placed in a microwave-safe pan.
Pour boiling water so that it only slightly covers the cobs.
Place in the oven and cook at maximum power for 35–45 minutes until soft. At the same time, make sure that the water does not boil away and add it on time.
At the end of cooking, add salt.

How to cook corn in a double boiler

Hulled and washed corn is placed on greased bowls.
Install on a steamer with a full tank of water.
Cook the cobs for 20–30 minutes until done.
Place on plates and sprinkle with salt.

How to cook corn in the oven

The cobs, cleared of leaves and washed well, are placed in a deep container, for example for baking.
Pour boiling water over until it covers them completely.
To prevent the top of the corn from browning and drying out, cover the dish with foil.
Place in the oven, heated to 120 degrees.
Cook until soft for about 40 minutes. Add boiling water if the water has boiled.
The finished corn is sprinkled with salt and served with butter.

Corn boiled using any of these methods is served hot, because it is then that it fully reveals its aroma and excellent taste.