The Unexpected Hack That Makes It So Easy To Cut Kernels Off A Corn Cob

With a sweet, buttery flavor, corn on the cob is a classic summer side dish for any picnic barbeque, and it's perfectly fine on its own, too. Whether you're eating it by itself or putting a few creative twists on it, there's no real wrong way to prepare your corn on the cob. Sure, it may be a bit messy depending on how much butter you use, but a good hot cob of corn soaked in butter fresh off the grill or the pot is one of those little joys of summer.

But how do you go about eating it? There's a good handful of ways people approach eating their corn on the cob. There are folks who eat it typewriter-style, which is eating the corn "end to end," "row-by-row," like a typewriter (via Food52). There are people who just dig right into any random spot like a squirrel, pecking at what they think is the best sweet spot on the cob. And then there are folks who'll try to eat corn on the cob off the end of a power drill (via The Daily Meal), a ridiculous but nonetheless impressive display of corn-themed showmanship.

There are also folks who like to scrape the kernels off the cob, enjoying the delicious golden nuggets without dealing with the solid cob below. If you're one of those types of corn enjoyers, this easy hack will have you enjoying golden kernels without stress or mess.

According to Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes, all you need for removing kernels from a cob of corn is a knife and a Bundt cake pan. After shucking the cob free of any husks or strings, place the cob upright in the center of the cake pan, ensuring that the cob fits somewhat snugly into the hole in the raised center. This will allow the cob to be secure while you remove the kernels. 

Take your knife and, in "long, downward strokes," slice the kernels of corn from the cob, The kernels will fall into the cake pan below, where you can then remove them when finished. While it may take a bit of practice, Bauer explains, it can become a very easy process for getting fresh corn kernels.

If you're unsure about using a knife to scrape off corn kernels, there's another way that involves the back of a utensil and one's thumb, per Something's Cooking with Alpa. Simply place the handle of a fork or spoon between the rows of corn, gently prying the kernels loose from the cob. Once the kernels are loosened, slide your thumb behind the kernels so that they'll fall out. Repeat this process using the utensil and thumb until the entire cob is de-kerneled.

Now that you have your corn kernels, there's a wide variety of recipes you can make with them, such as corn chowder or your own homemade creamed corn.