The first truly warm day of summer is the only excuse we need to justify mass purchases of all the best summer veg: corn, tomatoes, corn, summer squash, corn. But in most parts of the country, the sweetest, ripest ears of sweet corn don't hit the markets until late July or August, and most everything before then is likely to be sad and flavorless. Are you sitting on a pound of bum ears right now? Despair not—these five tips from senior food editor (and resident 🌽 whisperer) Rick Martinez will coax flavor out of even the saddest corn.
Know What to Buy
Putting an end to sad corn starts with knowing how to buy it. Corn starts to lose moisture the second it's picked, so whenever possible, seek out ears you know were harvested on the same day. Your best bet is to head to your local farmers' market and chat with the sellers. Wherever you're getting your corn, look for ears that feel heavy for their size, with translucent yellow (not brown) silks and bright green husks. Peel back a tiny bit of the husk and check for even rows of taut, plump kernels.
Grilled Corn with Miso Butter. Photo: Danny Kim
Cook It on High Heat
Sometimes, no matter how deceptively plump and ripe-looking the ear, you'll inevitably end up with an ear or two of bum corn. The most likely culprit of that blah, starchy, diluted chalk water flavor and hard, dense texture is that the corn is too old, and has had time to dry out and convert some of its sugars to starches. When this happens, the best thing to do is cook the ears in their husks over high heat to concentrate whatever natural sweetness they've still got left. You can do this one of two ways: grill over high heat for 2-4 minutes per side until husks are charred; or roast in a 500° oven for 35-40 minutes, turning once. In either case, don't remove the husks—they contain flavor, as well as moisture that protects the corn inside from drying out.
