Boiling Corn on the Cob

Four pieces of corn on the cob laying on a round piece of slate.

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5 from 14 votes

Get perfectly tender, juicy corn on the cob every time with these simple steps!

Prep Time10

Cook Time7

Total Time17

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

4 ears corn on the cob
4 tsp butter
⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

Remove the husk and silks from the corn on the cob.
Fill a large pot half full with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat.
Place the peeled corn on the cob in the pot. Cover the pot and return to a boil. Boil for 5-7 minutes.
Remove the corn on the cob from the pot and place on a platter. Serve with butter and salt.

Video

Notes

CAN I BOIL IT IN SALTED WATER?

You don’t want to cook it in salted water. The salt will make the kernels tough and chewy – not good!

CAN YOU OVER BOIL IT?

Yes, you can over boil it and you will know if you’ve done this because the corn will be mushy instead of firm. I recommend cooking it for five to seven minutes for best results!

CAN YOU BOIL FROZEN CORN ON THE COB?

Yes, you can! You can buy frozen corn on the cob and boil it. It will cook in the about the same amount of time as fresh, so five to seven minutes!

CAN I FLAVOR IT WITH OTHER SEASONINGS AND TOPPINGS?

Yes, you can dress it up if you want! Beyond butter and pepper, you can add other seasonings like onion or garlic powder, dried herbs or fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro. Or try a seasoning mix like Italian seasoning or chili seasoning.

You can also sprinkle the corn with cheese – grated Parmesan cheese is really good!

Whatever seasoning or toppings you add should be added after the corn is cooked.

HOW LONG DO THE LEFTOVERS LAST?

Store it in an airtight container and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition