Boiled Corn on the Cob
by Chungah
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Milk boiled corn! Basically a buttery milk bath for the juiciest, sweetest corn. Perfect summer corn. Tender, flavorful, and ready in 30 min!
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Why you’ll love this boiled corn on the cob recipe
- The only way to cook corn on the cob. This is truly one of the best ways to cook corn on the cob, in a buttery milk bath of course. The lovely milk bath brings out the natural sweetness of the corn – so juicy, so tender, and so perfectly sweet for your summer corn.
- Made in just 30 minutes or less. We have a short ingredient list with minimal effort – no fuss, no muss here.
- An absolute crowd-favorite. Milk boiled corn is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for picnics, backyard cookouts, barbecues and summer entertaining all season long.
what is milk boiled corn?
Milk boiled corn, also known as a “butter bath”, is a different way of cooking corn on the cob, simmering the corn in a mixture of whole milk, butter and sugar rather than water, yielding rich, creamy, tender, sweet corn kernels.
How to make milk boiled corn on the cob
- Bring to a boil. Bring water, garlic, salt and pepper to a boil, simmering for about 10 minutes or so.
- Add milk and butter. Add whole milk, butter and brown sugar (if using), and bring to a boil again.
- Cook the corn. Add corn, reducing the heat and simmering until tender, about 6-10 minutes. Ensure that all the cobs are fully submerged for even cooking.
- Garnish. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chives or parsley for a pop of color.
- Serve or keep warm. Serve immediately or keep the corn warm off-heat and covered for 30-60 minutes.
What to Serve with Boiled Corn on the Cob
Tools for this recipe
Dutch oven
Boiled Corn on the Cob FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
White or yellow whole fresh corn, with husks and silk removed, will work beautifully here.
The corn will turn a bright yellow color, becoming plump and tender. Overcooked corn will look shriveled.
No, once the milk is mixed with water and butter, the milk should not curdle here.
Depending on the freshness of the corn (fresher corn will cook faster), it can take anywhere from 6-10 minutes.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The corn kernels makes for great additions to mashed potatoes and creamy soups (ex. corn chowder). Leftover cobs can also be used for corn stock, simmering for 1-2 hours, and repurposing for soups and risotto.
Boiled Corn on the Cob
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, halved
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 6 ears corn, husks removed and halved
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Combine 4 cups water, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in milk, butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; working carefully, add corn, reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 6-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a heavy pot. A heavy bottom pot, such as a Dutch oven, is ideal here for even heat distribution.
- Cut in half. Cut the corn cobs in smaller portions (thirds or halves) for easy serving.
- Fresh corn cooks faster. Fresh corn has a higher moisture content and will typically cook much faster than older corn. Be sure to keep an eye on the corn as overcooked corn can be tough and chewy.
- Use whole milk. While skim or 2% milk can work in a pinch, the fat content in whole milk is necessary here for maximum richness.
- Butter is key here. The butter will infuse the corn kernels with salty, buttery goodness. So good, you can skip the butter topping at the very end too.
- Omit the sugar. If you summer corn is already very sweet, skip the sugar. Alternatively, if you want to make this all year round (and you don’t have much faith in the corn), the sugar will make all the difference here.
- Make it vegan. Use non-dairy milk such as almond milk and swap out the butter for vegan butter.
- Season and serve. No need to slather on that softened butter. The butter bath has taken care of all that work for you. Simply garnish with chives (and season with s+p if needed) and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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Love your recipes!
I haven’t made this yet but wondering if the stock can be repurposed into a chowder?
Thinking chicken and corn chowder?
I was thinking the same thing! Seems a shame to waste it!
Donna…maybe potato chowder with carrots, onion and celery. There are several chowder recipes on this site that I will experiment with using left over stock from this recipe.