Microwave Hack for Shucking Corn

There is a new technique for shucking corn that has been floating around on the web recently, and as a corn lover, I thought it would be fun to give it a try.

What's Supposed to Happen

I often have to shuck upwards of 10 or 15 cobs of corn for a recipe, and it really gets annoying, especially with the silk strings getting all over the place.

This method brags that the corn comes out clean every time, with no strings attached, literally!

What Actually Happened

I tried the method a few times, and a few different ways, and I've come to the conclusion that it works alright, but not great, and it isn’t exactly ideal for large-scale corn shucking.

This method calls for putting an ear of corn in the microwave for 8 minutes.  The first problem I have with this is that the corn becomes way overcooked for my liking.  I know some people who like their corn cooked to this level, so for them, this method is more of a winner.

I tried microwaving the corn for only 6 minutes, and the corn was closer to perfectly cooked, but it wasn't enough time for whatever magic to happen that takes all the silk strings off the corn, so when I removed the corn from the husk, many strings came along with it.

The next issue is that if you are cooking corn for any volume of people, even if you microwave the ears 2 at a time (which works if you rotate halfway through cooking), you still are talking about 24 minutes for 6 ears of corn, with the first batch cooling off by the time the 3rd batch is finished.

But for just an ear or two, this method works well, and it saves you from having to fire up the grill or boil water for cooking.

How It's Done

Here's the how-to on this method of corn husking:

 



That pesky husk

 



No prep, just pop into the microwave for 8 minutes.

 



As you can see, the husk gets a little shriveled.

 



Chop the bottom off...

 



...and the corn slides right out!

 



There it is -- clean and cooked.

Bottom Line

I would do this method in a pinch for a super easy dinner for just me or maybe 2 people total. But for the most part, I will be sticking to shucking corn the old fashioned way!