This Is The Best Way To Keep Corn On The Cob Warm, According To A Renowned Chef
Corn on the cob is a beloved summer side dish, but sometimes timing your grilled meats and boiled corn can be a challenge. If you've tossed the ears in the pot a little too early for the burgers and brats to be fully cooked, here's how to keep them warm before serving. According to Jorge Guzmán, a James Beard Award finalist and executive chef and partner at Sueño, an upscale Mexican restaurant in Dayton, Ohio, it's easy. "Drain the water and keep the cobs in the pot to stay warm," says Guzman.
As for how long to boil fresh corn, Guzman prefers six to eight minutes for juicy cobs, but stresses that this is a personal preference. It's important to keep an eye on boiling corn, as the color indicates when the corn is done. You want plump-looking kernels that have turned a vibrant yellow. Cooking times will vary depending on the corn (frozen cobs may take as long as 10 minutes), and make sure not to crowd the pot. What happens when you boil corn for too long? It loses flavor and turns rubbery.
What if I'm grilling corn on the BBQ?
If you're making grilled corn on the cob, you have two choices: grill it inside or outside the husk. Our grilled corn on the cob with garlic butter recipe imparts a smoky flavor that complements the sweet corn perfectly and creates beautiful grill marks. When grilling corn this way, it's best to serve it right away and not try to keep it warm, as the kernels will dry out.
If you're grilling corn in the husk, you have some more flexibility. Since you need to soak the corn inside the husks in water for at least 10 minutes, you have created a moisture-rich environment that steams the corn (it also prevents the husk from burning). This cooking method takes longer, about 15 minutes to fully cook the corn, and provides a lighter smoke flavor. Since the corn is insulated inside the husk, it will stay warm for about 30 minutes. When you're ready to serve the corn, pull back the husks and coat the cobs in butter or oil, salt and pepper, or Mexican street corn toppings, and enjoy.