5 Food Editors Agree—This Is the Best Way To Cook Corn on the Cob

Our editors settle the debate: this is the best way to cook corn on the cob. For quick, perfectly cook, and no-mess corn on the cob, turn to the microwave.

Jul 10, 2024 - 15:00

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5 Food Editors Agree—This Is the Best Way To Cook Corn on the Cob

dollop of butter on a cob of corn (close-up) — Simply Recipes / Getty Images

While I’m hesitant to say anything is the best way, when it comes to corn on the cob, there’s just no contest. I’ve tried all the methods—boiling, grilling, steaming, air frying, pressure cooking, you name it. None of them hold a candle to the almighty microwave.

My fellow editors agree! Senior Editor Meg Scott says, “Microwaving corn makes it super easy to shuck, and corn really only needs a couple of minutes of cooking to begin with. The microwave is so much easier than heating up a pot of water to boil or getting the grill ready.“

Associate Editorial Director Myo Quinn adds, “You don’t even need to dirty a plate. I place the corn directly in the microwave.”

3 Reasons You Should Microwave Corn on the Cob

It’s Quick. It’s hard to get quicker than a microwave. In just a few short minutes, the corn will be perfectly cooked. Plus, there’s virtually no prep—which brings me to…
No Shucking. Microwaving is the method with the least amount of work. That’s because you don’t shuck the corn before you cook it. Once it’s done cooking, you trim one end with a knife and squeeze the other end. The corn pops out, perfectly clean and ready to eat. Take it from General Manager Emma Christensen: “The husks and silks come right off, and the corn is perfectly cooked. It really couldn’t be easier!”
It’s Tasty. If you time it right, microwaving produces perfectly cooked corn on the cob every time. The kernels steam inside the husk and emerge crisp-tender. If you’re a grilled corn fan, pop the cooked ears on a hot grill for a minute or two for some char. But I usually just dig in.

Sliding the corn out of the husk to show how to make corn on the cob. — Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

How To Microwave Corn on the Cob

Place the unshucked ear (or ears) in the microwave and cook for about three minutes, adding two to three minutes per additional ear. I flip it over halfway through cooking (be careful, it’s hot!) so that it cooks more evenly.

When it is done cooking, use gloves or a towel to grab the ear and set it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to trim off one to two inches off the stalk end (opposite the silk), holding the ear with a kitchen towel since it’ll be hot.

Grasp the ear from the silk end, lift it up over the cutting board, and squeeze. The corn will emerge out of the cut end, clean, steamy, and ready to enjoy.