Fresh corn is the main vegetable eaten throughout the year, but it peaks in the warm summer months. Unsurprisingly, fresh corn always shows up at picnics and barbecues. And this makes it a popular side dish. Boiling is a great way of cooking corn on the cob for the crowd.
It may not be very common to boil your corn on the cob in milk, but if you must know, milk tends to bring out the sweet flavor of the corn. Moreover, milk is used to tenderize the corn.
The corn is best after harvest, once the ears of the corn are being plucked out, the natural sugar contained in the corn begins to change to starch. The milk is absorbed by the corn which adds to the natural sweetness from the starch content in the corn.
What happens if you boil corn too long?
The amount of time used to boil depends on the nature of the corn. If corn is toughened then boiling it for too long might not be an issue because it’s being boil for long to tenderize the corn. In a situation whereby the corn isn’t tough, then boiling the corn for so long isn’t a good idea.
However, how long to boil a corn depends on individual preferences as some individuals might love their corn mushy. Heat speeds up the conversion of sugar to starch which makes overcooked corn not only mushy but also lose its sweet taste.
Sweet fresh corn needs just a very little time in boiling water, just long enough to make it warm and it’s ready.
Why is my corn so tough?
Firstly, harvesting the corn at the right time is very important, so the farmer has to close monitor corn to know exactly when to harvest it. If the corn isn’t harvested at the right time it will take only about 2 days to lose its sweet juice nature.
If the farmer harvest the corn rightly, other factors can make it tough as well. The kernels begin to gradually become dry and tough after harvest because it begins to lose it moisture and the sugar gradually converts to starch.
So it is advisable to cook the corn after being harvested and if it can’t be cooked immediately after harvest, then it should be refrigerated to slow this toughening process. Lastly, adding salt in boiling water while cooking the corn makes it tough.
Why is my grilled corn chewy?
Preparing fresh sweet corn rightly totally depends on heating it for the right amount of time and the right temperature. If the corn you grilled comes out chewy, then you probably overcooked it. Try to make sure you only cook the corn until the kernels are plump and tender.
Why is my fresh corn mushy?
In preparation of corn, the corn absorbs the water when it’s boiling which causes the fiber found in corn to begin to dissolve. This makes the corn mushy and soft. To get the perfect sweet, juicy, and plump cooked corn, monitoring the timer and temperature closely is paramount.
Why is my sweet corn hard?
Farmers are well invested and time devoted to the growing of corn because freshly picked sweet corn tastes so much better than grocery store corn.
To check for the perfect time to harvest sweet corn is to use your thumbnail to prick it to check for its milky juice and if it’s there, that’s the milk stage. Then the corn is perfect for harvesting.
Once the tassel appears, the sweet corn will be ready for harvest 20-22 days after. The season affects how fast the corn matures, in hot seasons the corn matures faster than in cool seasons.
Sweet corn should be harvested when the silks are brown and dry at the ear tip. Sweet corn remains in the milk stage for only a short time. In the hot season, sweet corn may remain in prime conditions for only 1 or 2 days.
Once it’s not harvested within that period the corn becomes tough and doughy. If after harvesting the corn, the corn wasn’t cooked, the kernels gradually begin to get hard and starchy. Also, boiling with salt makes it firm.
How do you tenderize corn?
An old technique used in the south for tenderizing corn is simmering the corn in milk till the milk is well absorbed into the corn. If the corn isn’t tender or not up to the individual preference, more milk should be added and the corn should be cooked a little bit more.
Do you put salt in the water when you boil corn?
The addition of salt into boiling water when boiling corn tends to harden the corn due to the presence of calcium in salt, which overturns the whole ideology of tenderizing corn.
Cooking fresh corn in salted water made the skins of the kernels tougher than those of corn cooked in plain water. The anticaking agent present is salt which is calcium is said to be the reason for the toughening effect of the corn.
We should abstain from adding salt in the boiling water when cooking corn because it is more preferable to have an ear of tender corn than a toughened corn. Rather one can simply use salt as a seasoning after cooking the corn. But if you like if firmer, cooking with salt makes it tastier.
What is the healthiest way to eat corn?
Corn is a well-known carb vegetable and cereal grain which is a delicacy to many all over the world for many decades now. It is popularly known for its richness in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Though corn is said to have possessed all these nutritional values which are beneficial to the health, it tends to spike up one’s sugar level if it isn’t eaten in the right way.
Grilling corn or using of microwave to heat your corn is believed to be the healthiest way of preparing corn because a whole of nutritional valves is depleted as a result of boiling which makes it less healthy.
What is the best time to eat corn?
Sweet corn is best eaten immediately after harvest because it contains a whole lot of sweet juice. The corn can still retain its juicy sweet nature within five days of harvest if well refrigerated.
If the harvested corn can’t be cooked right away, leave the husk on the corn cob and refrigerate it immediately so it would remain fresh. But after a while it begins to lose its tenderness and begins to get tough.
What are the disadvantages of eating corn?
With all its nutritional values, corn still poses a health risk to those who don’t eat it in the right way. Corn is a carb vegetable which means that it contains natural sugar and carbohydrates which can raise one’s blood sugar level if not eaten in the right portion.
A diabetic patient doesn’t have to stir off completely from corn but eat the right portion size, as corn posses other nutrients the body needs. Some anti-nutrients which are compounds that restrict one’s body from absorbing nutrients are also present in corn. So it is advisable to soak your corn in water before preparing it to get rid of these anti-nutrients.
Corn can contribute to weight gain if eaten excessively, so individuals on a weight loss diet should avoid consuming an ear of corn excessively.
How much time do you boil corn?
Individuals have different preferences when it comes to how they love their corn. This preference now depends on the amount of time used in boiling the corn.
Individuals who love mushy corn uses more time in boiling their corn while others who just love their corn tender use lesser time. The general way to boil a corn is to bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat down to medium heat.
Using tongs, gently insert the corn cobs into the boiling water. If you’re using milk, butter, and/or sugar, add these to the pot now. With the pot at a simmer and not a hard boil, cook the fresh corn for 7-9 minutes.
At this time the corn will still be a little bit crunchy. If you prefer your corn mushy, feel free to cook a few minutes longer.
How do you soften hard corn?
Freshly harvested sweet corn can easily get tough in no time if not cooked right away or kept cold in a refrigerator. Corn kept cold in the refrigerator still gets tough if not cooked within five days of storage.
Corn can be tenderized when it gets tough, though it will certainly not retain all its sweetness and nutrients. You can easily tenderize your corn by adding milk and butter to your corn.
Then allow it to absorb the milk while simmering. If it’s still tough, allow it to simmer a little bit more till it is tender enough.
Is corn on the cob healthy?
Summer is welcomed with succulent, sweet, juicy, and piping hot corn on the cob in a grill. There’s a wave of poor reputation going around about corn being fattening and carb-laden. Some arguing that it is associated with high fructose corn syrupppp.
Thus, you may be pondering if corn deserves a place in your grill this summer. Corn contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which keeps your digestive system humming. Research shows that fiber plays a role in preventing colon cancer and increases bacteria in the human body.
Which is better rice or corn?
Rice and corn which is better? They both have their pros and cons. Corn is richer in natural sugar and protein but cannot match rice in carbs due to the amount of starch in the rice. Corn has a lower rate of affecting one’s blood sugar level while rice rate of affecting blood sugar level is more.
Corn contains fiber and is also said to contain choline which is a good nutritional value for cellular growth and DNA synthesis and good metabolism rate too.
How much corn should I eat a day?
Corn is a carb that is regularly eaten all over the world. Though corn has a low glycaemic index, its starch content tends to elevate the blood sugar level in individuals with diabetes and so individuals with diabetes need to eat corn in moderation and it constitutes a balanced diet.
Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the average daily recommendation suggests eating about 2 ½ cups of vegetables, and corn certainly counts. A 1-cup serving of corn provides about 10% of the daily recommended amount of fiber.
Should I cut the tassels off my corn?
The tassel of the corn appears after about 50 days of germination and 2-3 days before silk emergence. Cutting of the tassel encourages and prevents cross-pollination.
If you grow only a single variety of corn then removal of the tassel is uncalled for, but it can increase crop resilience and yield. Getting rid of the tassel is only necessary when you grow different varieties of corn. Corn undergoes self-pollination, which means every plant can pollinate itself. Tassel is useful to determine the time of harvest.
What is the best fertilizer for sweet corn?
Organic manure is the best source of fertilizer for your corn. Generally, organic farming is the best method of cultivating crops. But if it’s not easily obtainable, the best alternative fertilizer for the fall of sweet corn is nitrogen fertilizer.
It has a mineral content specifically created for the enhancement of corn plants’ growth. For corn, use a fertilizer labeled “16-16-8,” which describes the mineral composition in the fertilizer: 16% nitrogen, 16% phosphate, and 8% potassium (following an N-P-K formula).
However, an analysis of your garden soil may reveal that your soil needs more potassium, so you’ll need to find fertilizer labeled “16% potassium.” Fall sweet corn requires large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous for the best growth.
To promote good crop growth during late summer, your corn needs moist, warm conditions.
Conclusion
Corn is highly nutritious and contains fiber which makes it healthy to eat if taken in the right proportion. The sweetness of the corn depends on how well the corn is being harvested by the farmer and how properly the corn is being prepared considering the amount of time and temperature.
