Poaching Is the Secret to Perfect Corn on the Cob

I don’t know if it’s just New York's rainy summer or my love of starch, but the corn this season seems especially good. I’ve been consuming as much as I can while the cobs are still rolling in at bargain prices. And while grilling corn might seem like the cool way to cook corn, I almost never do that. I boil it. Well, kind of. Technically I poach my corn on the cob. It’s relatively fast, it doesn’t dry out, and it’s mostly hands-off.

What you’ll need

• A wide pot with a lid

• Fresh corn on the cob

• An instant-read meat thermometer

How to poach corn on the cob

Step 1: Shuck it

Part of the reason this method is so fast, while staying relatively gentle, is because you don’t need the husk. If you have pre-shucked corn, then skip to Step 2. 

Start peeling off each of the outer leaves first, and once you get to the final inner leaves you can rip off the silk. Trim the heel, and peel off any little strings and bits that you don’t want to fuss with later—it doesn’t get easier after it cooks. 

I try to get most of the silk out before boiling, but some pieces are just too stubborn. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Step 2: Boil the water

Use a wide pot with a tight-fitting lid. The pot should be wide enough to hold the corn horizontally, not at an angle. If you don’t have a big enough pot, no problem, just cut the corn cobs in half. Fill the pot with three to four inches of water. Cover the pot and bring it up to a boil. 

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Step 3: Cut the heat

Once the water boils. Turn off the heat and take the lid off. Water boils at 212°F, and the best temperature to cook corn is between 160°F and 180°F. While water doesn’t take too long to cool off, depending on the size of your pot and how much water is in there, this time can vary. That’s why the thermometer comes in handy.

Ideally I aim for 180°F, but a few degrees off isn't the end of the world. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Wait about five minutes and then take the water’s temperature. If it’s around 180°F, move to the next step. If not, just wait a few more minutes and test again. My water was at 177°F after 7 minutes.

Step 4: Cook the corn

Once the water is at the appropriate temperature, drop in your corn and cover the pot with the lid. Set a timer for five minutes. Spin the corn so the other sides can spend some time underwater. Cover the corn again, and wait another five minutes. Your corn is finished. The best part is if you’re busy doing something else, your corn can sit in the poaching water for another 10 or 15 minutes and still be in great shape. I do love a grace period.

Once the corn is in the water, put the lid back on to help maintain the temperature. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Why poaching your corn is best

America’s Test Kitchen explains it well with a handy graphic here, but essentially, boiling corn at 212°F is too aggressive to keep the corn’s pectin (snappy plant fiber) in good shape. While you want the starches inside the kernels to gelatinize, the idea is to prevent too much pectin from breaking down. This will cause the kernels to become too soft. 

To get silky starches with perky, popping corn kernels, a lower temperature is the ticket. In fact, if you see recipes that tell you to boil your corn for 30 or 40 minutes, walk away. You’re not trying to eat the actual cob, for goodness’ sake. Raw corn kernels are already edible; you’re just trying to make them more tender by cooking them, and that doesn’t take much. 

So do you need to bring the water all the way up to a boil first and wait? Technically no, you could monitor the water while it heats and cut the heat at 180°F, but that might mean removing the lid numerous times for temperature checks and it could actually take longer than just setting it to boil and coming back when it’s rolling. 

Really, the amount of not checking on it is my favorite part. This method is perfect for someone who likes to multi-task—it’s mostly hands off and the hardest part is remembering to set a timer. Luckily, poaching is so gentle, you can even mess that up and still have perfect corn on the cob. Eat the corn warm as-is, or dress it up elotes style.

Easy corn on the cob recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 ears of fresh corn

• 3 to 4 inches of water

1. Shuck the corn to remove the husk and all of the corn’s silk.

2. Fill a wide pot with three to four inches of water. Cover the pot with a lid and set it to boil. 

3. Uncover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the water cool to 180°F.

4. Drop in the corn and put the lid on the pot. Poach the corn for 10 to 20 minutes with the lid on, turning the cobs once after five minutes.