You're Actually Ruining Your Corn When You Boil It With Salt

Fresh corn on the cob is one of the biggest joys of summer. The familiar tearing of husks in the grocery store, the smell of the grill turning on, the juicy crunch you experience when you take that first bite -– corn really is one of the biggest, and most nostalgic, seasonal treats. It's also simple to cook, but you do need to be careful. The last thing you want after all that buildup are tough, chewy kernels that are impossible to rip off. There's one common mistake that might make that happen: adding salt to the water when boiling.

We're told to salt water for boiling so many things that many of us do it on autopilot. While your pasta water needs more salt than you thought, your corn does not need any. This is because the salt can actually toughen the corn. It's commonly thought the reason behind this is the calcium levels in the anti-thickening agent sometimes used for salt. However, kosher salt — which typically doesn't contain any calcium — has also been shown to have the same effect. 

We're not entirely sure why it happens, and some people swear that it actually makes no difference. However, it takes a long time for salt to penetrate corn, and since it only takes a few minutes to boil, you may as well leave it out just in case.

A ripe piece of corn should have enough flavor that you don't need to season the cooking water at all. Simply fill a big pot with water and place it over high heat so it comes to boil. You want to make sure the pot is large enough to hold all your corn. There should be enough water and space for every piece to be fully submerged.

Once the water is boiling, drop in the corn and cook it until the kernels feel tender when you pierce them with a fork. It should take less than five minutes. Some people like to add milk and butter to the water to add more flavor, or sugar for sweetness. Lemon juice is also said to brighten the color of corn further. There are cooks who like to add the corn to the water and then turn the heat off to let it soak for 10 minutes instead of boiling it.

The easiest way to cook your corn is to just let the water do the work and allow the natural flavors of the kernels to shine through. Season it right before you eat it with butter, pepper, or salt, or dress it up with a Mexican street corn recipe. Grilled corn on the cob is also delicious if you don't want to touch the stove, but for minimal clean up, just keep it simple.