Just Because You Can Make Corn In The Microwave Doesn't Mean You Should

We have all occasionally heeded the siren song of the microwave. Its hurried beeps are a love letter to efficiency and 20th-century innovation. But just because you can zap practically anything into a molten version of its former self, doesn't mean you should. For example, TikTok virality can make it seem like virtually everyone is microwaving corn. However, fresh corn on the cob doesn't belong in the microwave. It's a prime example of foodstuffs that are best left for more antiquated preparations like boiling.

The temptation to microwave corn is hard to ignore. In particular, it seems to have an obvious appeal in that you don't have to wash "The Big Pot" once it's done. Plus, there are promises about how much easier it is to shuck corn out of the microwave. To be fair, the former is true, but the latter is questionably successful at best. Most importantly, the taste of microwaved corn on the cob simply cannot match the bright, crisp finish produced by the stovetop. Instead of a perky, summertime texture, it is rendered too soft. That's because the microwave makes what should be plump kernels deflate.

Most microwaved corn on the cob instructions advise that you cook it for a few minutes, cool for a little longer, and shuck as easily as opening an envelope. While the kernels do heat in a flash, silk strands will typically remain tangled around the ears like the hair of a haunted, old porcelain doll, with the added challenge of handling what's probably still pretty hot. So, not only are you still left shedding threads, you're trying to remove them from a scorching torpedo. Some how-tos even go so far as to claim that you can cut off the stalk and slide that whole golden, gleaming cob cleanly out of one side. I have never found that to be the case, absent additional strand removal.

It's easier to shuck an ear of corn before cooking based on the temperature alone. You also aren't racing to get it on the plate at that stage. Either way, microwaving never mitigates those errant silk strands enough to sacrifice what could be a farm fresh taste for the TV dinner quality I have observed, even with various power levels and cook times. With that paucity of quality, you may as well just open a can of corn. Yes, boil it, and you will eventually have to wash an extra pot. However, it'll probably be the easiest dish you clean all day. And, like most pursuits, anything worth cooking, is worth cooking right.