Boil Corn On The Cob In Milk For A Sweeter Bite
Corn on the cob is a summer staple that's served up well into the fall, whether you enjoy it at a campout, an at-home barbecue, or on Thanksgiving. Typically, when we're enjoying corn on the cob at an evening or afternoon meal, it's sweet corn that we're eating. Sweet corn has a genetic mutation that causes it to have a higher sugar content and a lower starch content than field corn, which is the type of corn used for making animal feed and renewable fuels. This, coupled with the fact that sweet corn is harvested while the plant's kernels are young and moist, leads to a juicy and, well, sweet, flavor to your corn.
Now, while this type of corn is already naturally sweet, you can bring out that taste even more with one special trick: boiling your corn on the cob in milk. Doing so is the key to stepping up your corn on the cob and getting an even tastier side dish.
How to boil corn on the cob in milk
If you want to boil corn on the cob in milk, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. For one thing, you want to make sure you get fresh corn. The sooner you cook the cobs after buying them, the better the flavor you'll get. This is because as corn sits around, it starts to break its sugars down into starch. On top of that, it starts to lose nutrients as well as have less of its signature fragrance. Once you've got your perfect, fresh ears of corn picked out, make sure to remove the husks. This allows the corn to come into contact with the milk so as to bring out its sweetness.
After you're done husking, it's time to get down to business and cook the corn on the cob. For this, you're actually going to want to start off by boiling water in the pot you plan to cook with. Yes, you heard that right — even though you're going to be cooking your corn with milk too, you'll still need water as well. When your water is boiling, that's when it's time to add about 1 cup of milk to the pot, as well as some butter, and finally, throw in your corn for the perfect summer or fall side.
Other pro tips for getting a better-tasting corn on the cob
Boiling your corn in milk is just one way to get extra-sweet, juicy cobs. Besides that, you can also implement a few other tricks. One trick for getting great-tasting corn on the cob is to avoid adding salt when boiling up this veggie. Salt can dry out your kernels, leaving your cobs less tender than you might typically enjoy.
Another trick for getting great, juicy cobs is to try throwing a little sugar in with your cobs as you boil them. The sugar can help stop the corn from losing its natural sugars, making the end result sweeter and tastier. There are also some recipes out there that call for a bit of lemon juice thrown in with the sugar as well, which can help keep your corn's texture toothsome.
Finally, you can also try boiling your corn on the cob with honey. Like sugar and milk, this added ingredient can help make your final dish taste even sweeter. Thanks to these tricks, you're now well on your way to getting even sweeter-tasting corn on the cob the next time you feel like making this summer to fall staple!