What’s the easiest way to cook corn on the cob? Get our best tips to boil corn on the cob for a perfect ear of sweet corn every time.
How to Cook Corn on the Cob
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There’s just something about hot, buttery corn on the cob. It’s such a delicious summer time food. And depending on where you live, it may still be in season into the early fall! And one of the best parts about corn on the cob is how easy it is to cook!
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Corn on the cob is really versatile. You can grill it (in the husk or out of the husk), you can roast it in the oven, you can even toss it in the microwave! But my favorite way to cook corn on the cob (and, really, the classic way) is just to boil it on the stove.
How to Boil Corn on the Cob
The first thing you’ll need is a really big pot. I love this big pasta pot from Calphalon. I use it with the strainer insert when I’m cooking pasta or something else that needs to be drained. And I use it without the strainer insert for things like soups and corn on the cob.
First, fill your pot up about 2/3 full with water, and add some salt (see the recipe card below for amounts). Then, cover the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. When the water is good and hot, carefully add the corn on the cob, one ear at a time to the boiling water. Be careful not to splash or burn yourself!
Don’t put too many ears in at once. If you need to cook a bunch, then cook it in two batches. If the corn is too crowded in the water, it won’t cook evenly. You’ll end up with some parts of the ears that are overcooked and some parts of the ears that are undercooked. Yuck!
Make sure your corn has a little room to swim.
Put the lid back on, and bring the water back to a boil. Once it’s boiling again, you can remove the lid to keep an eye on the corn. Cook it for 7-10 minutes (from the time you put the corn in the water, not from the time the water was boiling again). Turn off the heat, use tongs to take the corn out of the water, and slather it with butter and salt!
We like our corn on the cob with just butter and salt, although it’s also delicious with a little Parmesan cheese! What are your favorite toppings for sweet corn?
Enjoy!
Printable for How to Choose Sweet Corn
Have you ever wondered how to choose the perfect corn on the cob every time? Grab our free printable with the 3 simple things to look for when you’re shopping for sweet corn.
Our Must-Have Tools for Sweet Corn
We cook a lot of sweet corn here over the summer, and we freeze even more! Here are the tools I use with our sweet corn all summer long.
- RSVP Deluxe Corn Cutter
- Electric Knife
- Quart-size Ziploc freezer bags
- Large stock pot
- Mess-Free Butter Spreader
- Interlocking Corn on the Cob Holders
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- What’s the Difference Between Sweet Corn & Field Corn?
- How to Freeze Sweet Corn
- An Easy Way to Cut Corn Off the Cob
3 More Recipes to Try
Printable Recipe Card for How to Boil Corn on the Cob
- 5 quarts (20 cups) water
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 ears sweet corn, shucked and cleaned
- Optional: butter and salt for garnish
- Put water and salt in a large pot. Cover, and bring to boil over high heat.
- When the water reaches a rolling boil, carefully add the corn on the cob to the boiling water.
- Do not overcrowd the pot. In a pot this size, 4-6 large ears will fit comfortably.
- Cover and return to boil. Once the water is boiling again, remove the lid.
- Cook for 7-10 minutes from the time the corn was added to the water, until the corn is bright yellow.
- Remove from water with tongs and serve immediately with butter and salt.
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