Kitchen Magic Tricks: Easiest Way to Clean Corn on the Cob

Steam, boil, grill, roast, everyone has their personal preference on how they like to prepare fresh corn on the cob. However, everyone in the end, regardless of how to corn is prepared tussles with removing the corn silk tassels that just refuse to come away with the husk and stick to the kernels of corn.

Fresh Corn on the Cob

I can remember as a child my father husking corn outside in the garage over the garbage can and then diligently removing every single thread of corn silk from the cob. He was that type of guy. The corn would then be wrapped in wax paper and then microwaved to sweet perfection. Now, let us fast forward more years than I wish to mention and my mother says that she now know a better way to prepare corn on the cob. Seriously, 35 years of microwaving corn on the cob and there is a better way?

Yes, there is an easier way to remove the threads of corn silk from the corn cob and an added bonus there is no need for wax paper. Everyone’s microwave is a little different, but the rule of thumb is 3 ½ minutes are needed to microwave a corn of cob, with this amount of time decreasing slightly as more corn is added to the microwave.

Step 1: Place the corn in the microwave with the husk still attached and cook.

Step 1: Cook Corn in Microwave with Husk Attached

Step 2: Remove the hot steamed corn from the microwave and place the corn on the cob on a cutting board. Then with a sharp heavy knife, remove the bottom of the cob.

Step 2: Cut Off Bottom of Cob

Step 3: Squeeze the top end of the corn cob and gently pull the husk away from the steamed corn cob. Once the husk is removed, cut off the tip of the cob and serve the steamed corn.

Step 3A: Remove Husk from the Steamed Cob of Corn

Step 3B: Remove the Husk from the Steamed Cob of Corn

Step 3C: Remove the Husk from the Steamed Cob of Corn

It is simple as that and more often than not there will be no corn silk threads remaining with the corn cob. I did not believe it to be possible until my mother showed me this technique. It just goes to show you that even as an adult there are still things to be learned from your parents. What makes this even more amazing is that my mother said that she saw this technique being performed on a video she watched on the internet.

Husked Steamed Corn on the Cob