One summer evening at my parents house I sat snarffing down my corn on the cob. (corn on the cob is really one food that I feel like I'm snarfing when I'm eating- just they way you have to crunch down with your teeth and breathe through your nose....it's not the most flattering food we eat) I had to ask- "Mom, how come your corn tastes so good? How long do you boil it? Do you buy a certain type? Am I just a horrible corn-picker-outer?" After all of these very valid questions she just simply asked, as if it was nothing, total common sense. (and maybe it is?)
Do you salt your water?
Wha? That's it? So easypeasylemonsqueezy. (Sydney is totally into this phrase lately at our house)
Later, fresh new citizens of Californa- we went to a big beach bonfire party where they were boiling corn in a gigantic aluminum can filled with fresh ocean water. {think Oscar the Grouch.} No joke. (I think I have a cellphone pic) It made perfect sense to me, and since became all knowledgable in all things corn on the cob and salt. It was so yummy. and- of course, how hard can boiling corn be? - so I'm going to say it-this recipe is so easy.
So, now that you can find corn on the cob on sale (my corn was 5 for $1 at my local grocery store), pick some up and start some salt water.
a watched pot never (ever!) boils.
Start by filling a fire-proof pot (dutch oven will work great too!) with sea water.
*over a stove top, just start boiling your water
Get it to a rolling boil and add corn- HUSKS included.
If you are boiling over a stove top, when it boils, add a tablespoon or two of sea salt, you can also shuck the corn like normal before boiling.
Now that the corn is boiling, you can start melting your butter. I used a "Family Size Chicken Noodle" can. Strip the paper off. Family size is nice becuase they are tall-great for dipping that corn. Put 2-4 sticks of butter in the can, set by the fire...or in the fire to melt.
After corn has boiled for 10 minutes pull them out one at a time. Pull back husks. and using the husks, dip in butta. Glorious. (I swear I'm related to Paula Deen somehow, somehwere.)
Saltwater Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
for over a bonfire
- 5-10 corns on the cob in husks
- sea water or- water and later add 1-2 TBS of salt
- for over a stove top
- 5-10 corns on the cob fully shucked and clean
- large stock pot of water
- 1-2 Tablespoon sea salt
topping:
- 1 tall tin can like the "family size" soup cans
- 2-4 cubes 1-2 cups of butter
Instructions
For over bonfire
- .Bring water to boil, salt (if not sea water) and add corn, in their husks, to the pot. boil for 10 minutes.
- melt butter over fire in can
- retrieve corn from water, pull back husks. Do not rip off, instead holding by the husks dip into butter.
For over stove top
- when water boils, add salt. then add corn.
- boil for 10 minutes
- butter and serve.
Emily Kemp says
What an amazing idea and so simple!