Ina Garten's Clever Tip That Makes Cutting Corn On The Cob Less Messy

Grilled corn on the cob is a summertime staple, but if you aren't a fan of eating it on the cob or need to cut the kernels off to make a salad, you know that removing them from the ear comes with its own hazards. Holding the cob so it is standing straight up and slicing the corn off can cause errant kernels to fly all over your countertop, table, or floor. Luckily, tips from Ina Garten to help you up your cooking game are never-ending, and she has a clever trick to mitigate this corny peril. The Barefoot Contessa turns to her trusted kitchen towel to get the job done neatly and efficiently.

In a 2019 interview with Food & Wine to promote her Food Network show "Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro," Garten shared, "Everybody wants to be able to cook with confidence. When I'm doing something, I find myself thinking, 'Is this the best way to do it?' It's really about recipes and techniques from 40 years in the food business. So for example, what's the best way to cut corn off a cob? If you put a kitchen towel up on the cutting board and cut it into the kitchen towel, it doesn't bounce all over the kitchen." 

Ina Garten demonstrated the corn removal technique in a video on her Facebook page. It starts with clean kitchen towel spread on top of the cutting board and a sharp knife, The celebrity chef notes, "You want a really sharp knife, so you can get most of the kernels." But you also need it to be sharp so you can cut off the knobby end of your corn on the cob. Garten slices this end off so the cob can stand straight up without any wobbling while you cut. 

But the genius of this trick really takes flight when she stands the ear of corn on the kitchen towel and moves the blade of her knife straight down, rotating the cob until all of the kernels have been removed. No bouncing!  As she explains, "Easy corn kernels, with no mess!" The unassuming kitchen towel is essential because it creates a surface that has less friction than a countertop. But this piece of cloth serves another purpose.

Once she is done cutting off the kernels, Ina Garten folds the corners of the towel inward so the corn doesn't fall out as she moves it to her bowl where she dumps towel filled with corn right into it. This trick can be used with both cooked and uncooked corn on the cob. If you plan to use it with cooked corn on the cob, just remember to allow it cool before you show off your knife skills so you don't burn your fingers.

It should take about a minute or two per ear to remove all the kernels with little to no mess. Once you are done cutting, your corn is ready to use in a charred Mexican corn salad, your favorite zesty corn and cucumber salad, or a sautéed corn dish. And you don't have to reserve this hack for corn on the cob. One of Garten's fans commented on her Facebook page, sharing, "I do the same thing when I am grating hard cheese. I found it's so much neater and easier! Thanks, Ina!"