How do you know when corn is done boiling?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question ‘ How do you know when corn is done boiling?’ We will consider the factors that impact the boiling time of corn. We will also look at some ways to tell if our corn is done boiling.
The boiling time for corn depends on the following aspects:
- the breed of the corn
- the freshness
- its state (shucked or unshucked)
How do you know when corn is done boiling?
The changes to the corn kernel’s state and appearance indicate its cooking stage. Watch out for color, texture, and time-lapse.
How to make shucked boil corn?
Fill half of a large pot with water.
Bring the water to a boil. Keep on medium heat and put the peeled corn inside.
Use tongs to drop the corn into boiling water carefully.
Cover the pot and let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes. When you think the corns are boiled, take them out from the pan and season them.
Remember not to overcook corn and check for signs of adequately boiled corn. Overcooking corn will make them mushy; the texture will be unpleasant.
By over boiling them, corns lose their nutritional content, such as antioxidants and vitamins.
Health Benefits of corn
Corn is a good source of Vitamin C, lutein, and fiber. Vitamin C boosts immunity while the loaded fiber content protects you from cholesterol and heart diseases. Lutein is an antioxidant that strengthens your eyes and protects them from diseases.
The other antioxidants are loaded in the corn as well, thus protecting you from free radicals.
The soluble fiber and corn bran help to regulate the blood lipid level.
Things to remember
The fresher your corn on the cob is, the quicker it will cook. Corn straight from the field will take a minute at most, if not seconds.
If you are cooking in midsummers, the corns are probably the freshest and sweetest. As the season progresses, corns lose their freshness. Fresh maize has a high moisture content which makes cooking them an easier task.
Be sure to fill the pan half-way to the top to prevent it from boiling over.
Do not put salt into the boiling corn. Otherwise, the corn would be tougher; instead of tender. You can add sugar if you would like the corn to be extra sweet.
Other FAQs about Corn which you may be interested in.
What is the difference between maize and corn?
How to know when corn is cooked?
How to tell if corn on the cob is done boiling?
When the corns are well-cooked, the yellow color will become a shiny darker version of yellow. The kernels will be thicker and tender. Check using a sharp knife to pluck a corn kernel out of the cob. If the corn kernel is hot till its core and feels tender, then it is probably cooked. You can also taste-test the kernel if you like.
Why is the boiling time different for everyone?
The USDA recommends the average boiling time to be 5-6 minutes. However, the cooking time and sweetness vary depending on how freshness, ripeness, and breed of the corn.
The longer the corns are allowed to cook, the more tender and sweeter they will be.
It all comes down to preference if you prefer starchy taste in your corns, you can cook them for less than 5 minutes. If you want them soft and sweet, cook them longer.
However, in some cases cooking for long will make the kernels tough.
If corn kernels are used instead of cob, then it will be cooked in a shorter time. It allows for quicker penetration of heat into the individual kernel. A cup of fresh corn kernels will take 30 seconds to 2 minutes to boil.
If you boil whole corn with the husk and silk intact, it will take around 10 minutes. The cooking procedure for unhusked cob is followed, except the cooking time is longer.
The presence of the husk will increase the cooking time. Instead of boiling with the husk on, put the boiled water off the heat and drop the cob inside. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and it will be cooked thoroughly.
The locality can also vary the cooking time. In Europe, where the corns found are tougher, a longer boiling time is required. The corn that Russian and Americans eat are softer and sweeter.
If you are boiling frozen cob, it will take longer for all the kernels to tenderize, about 10-20 minutes.
The kernels take 2-3 minutes to be palatable and well-cooked.
The boiling time depends on the amount of corn you have on the boil. If you have four or more cobs, they can take you well above 10 minutes.
In this brief guide, we answered the question ‘ How do you know when corn is done boiling?’. We also consider the factors that impact the boiling time of corn. To tell if our corn has boiled enough, we can assess it by color and texture.
https://www.delish.com/cooking/a22487458/corn-on-the-cob/
https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/4902/how-to-tell-when-corn-is-done-with-boiling
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-long-to-boil-corn
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-08-06-9203100864-story.html
