Struggling to remove the shuck and every last strand of silk ? Our Test Kitchen has your speedy solution .

order properly up there withchopping onion , disrobe Allium sativum , andpitting cherries , shucking cornusedto be one of our most - dreaded culinary labor . That is , until we learned our Test Kitchen ’s secrets for how to shuck corn quickly , easily , and in a sizeable way .

In this guide for how to shuck corn , you ’ll not only learn how to slay the stalk and silk , but you could also brush up on how to select the best corn at the farm viewpoint or market . We ’re also sharing how to put in corn whisky to maximize its lifespan . Then , once you get the hang how to clean , shop , and straw , we ’ll send you on your way with a handful of our verybest bracing maize recipesthat taste like summertime on a plateful .

Person shucking corn near cutting board

Credit: Jason Donnelly

How to Pick the Best Sweet Corn

Sarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen culinary specializer , and her husband , an agronomist , are quite the ambition squad when they jaw their local Iowa farm stands to stock up on stalks . Here ’s what they depend for — which aligns withuniversity extensionbest practices :

trial Kitchen Tip : Once you bring the corn home , you’re able to peel back a routine more of the stalk and adjudicate the “ Milk River test . ” Break a kernel and see if it emits a white , milky liquid . This is a clue that you have gamey - quality , ready - to - eat corn . If the gist is doughy or dry , it is probably past its peak .

How to Store Corn

you could store corn whiskey shucked or with the husks still on . Either way , it ’s authoritative to keep things cool — and aim to consume the corn ASAP , Brekke advise .

“ in person , I cohere to the ruler that sweet Zea mays want to be eaten within 24 hour of it being picked for the estimable savor , ” she says . “ Once the corn has been pick , all of those yummy sugars in the kernel quickly convert to starch . ”

If you ’re not give-up the ghost to eat the Indian corn like a shot , lay in it whole in the refrigerator ( below 40 ° F ) to avail the kernels quell as sweet and tender as potential . Refrigerated Indian corn in the husk should last for about 1 hebdomad . To extend its life even further , considerfreezing cornorcanning corn .

corn ribs on blue plate

Credit:Rachel Marek

If you prefer to shuck the corn before stash away it , place the capitulum in a enceinte plastic bag to help keep moisture , Brekke recommends .

How to Shuck Corn

Most recipes call for shuck edible corn before cooking it , but others — like ourBoiled - in - the - Husk Corn on the CobandGrilled Corn — call for cooking it in the shuck . It should be fairly prosperous to pull the husk away after it has been cooked , and that ’s in reality our secret for shucking maize the light and clean way !

Here ’s how to shuck corn via the method acting our Test Kitchen experts swear by to keep the kitchen spick - and - straddle :

Test Kitchen Tip : We do n’t recommend zap more than 4 pinna at a meter to ensure they are equally heated through .

If you favor , you’re able to stick with the classic way of life of how to shuck edible corn . Ideally , you ’d do this outdoors to minimize the pickle , Brekke admits , but you could also do it over a sink .

Rachel Marek

Now that you know how to shuck Zea mays , you ’re all set to enjoy the fruits ( okay , vegetables ) of your labour . If you ’re in the humour for great black-backed gull - style formula , do n’t missMexican - Style Air - Fryer Corn on the CoborButter - Braised Corn on the Cob .