Home Cooking: How Long to Cook Frozen Corn on the Cob
Many face texture issues when cooking frozen corn, but mastering the right cooking time can ensure tender, delicious results.
How long does it take to cook frozen corn on the cob?
The cooking time varies depending on the cooking method. Here are the times for several common cooking methods I often use:
Boiling in boiling water: It takes 15 minutes in total
No need to thaw. Boil a pot of water. Once it starts boiling, add 1 teaspoon of sugar (to enhance the sweetness). Put the corn in and turn to medium heat to keep the water simmering gently. After boiling for 12 minutes, take out the corn. You can easily pierce the corn kernels with a chopstick, which means it's cooked.
Roasting in the oven: It takes 20 minutes to get a crispy and fragrant result
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Keep the corn frozen, brush a layer of melted butter on its surface, and wrap it with two layers of aluminum foil. Bake it on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Then unwrap the aluminum foil and bake for another 5 minutes until it's colored.
Quick heating in the microwave: It can be done in 6 minutes
Put the corn in a microwave - safe container with plastic wrap (leave some ventilation holes) and pour 2 tablespoons of water over it. Heat it on high for 4 minutes, turn it over and heat for another 2 minutes. Take it out and let it stand for 2 minutes before peeling.
Should you thaw frozen corn on the cob before cooking?
There is no need to thaw it in advance. Cooking it directly can actually preserve more of its sweet and crispy texture.
Frozen corn on the cob has usually been pre - cooked. Be sure not to overheat it. If you thaw it before cooking, the cooking time will be reduced by about one - third, but around 15% of the sweetness will be lost. The best option is to heat it directly from a frozen state.
Do you need to add salt when cooking frozen corn on the cob?
It's best not to add salt when cooking frozen corn on the cob.
I've found that adding salt directly during the cooking process can ruin the texture of the corn, making the kernels tough. The best approach is to season the corn after it's out of the pot, which helps keep it moist and juicy.
If you want a more layered flavor, I'd suggest that after thawing the corn, gently pat dry the surface moisture, brush it with a layer of melted butter, sprinkle evenly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and then bake it in the oven.
When using a pressure cooker, I like to add half a teaspoon of white sugar. This can balance out the slightly bland taste of frozen corn. Finally, squeezing in a few drops of fresh lemon juice for flavor can make the sweetness of the corn more prominent.
How much water do you need to cook frozen corn on the cob?
For the boiling method, it is recommended that the water level is 3 centimeters above the corn.
When cooking 4 ears of corn in a 24 - centimeter - diameter cooking pot, 6 cups of water (about 1.5 liters) is just right. During the boiling process, do not cover the pot lid tightly. Leave a gap to prevent the water from boiling over and to maintain a stable water temperature.
For steaming, only 1/3 of the height of the pot needs to be filled with water.
When I use a two - layer bamboo steamer, I add 2 cups of water to the bottom layer. After the water boils, the steam is sufficient to penetrate the frozen corn. If the water is almost dry in the middle of the process, pour half a cup of hot water along the edge of the pot to replenish it. Avoid pouring the water directly onto the corn.
Tips for remedying insufficient water
If you find that there is not enough water in the middle of cooking, add boiling water immediately instead of cold water. When frozen corn is exposed to cold water, it will contract and become hard. Insert long chopsticks between the ears of corn to create gaps, allowing the newly added hot water to circulate quickly.
How do you know when frozen corn on the cob is done?
Using chopsticks to test is the most straightforward way
Use the tip of a bamboo chopstick to pierce the corn kernels in the middle section. If you can penetrate them effortlessly and a milky white juice is brought out on the tip of the chopstick when you pull it out, that's the perfect doneness. If there is obvious resistance or only clear water seeps out, you need to cook it for another 3 minutes.
You can also observe the color of the cross - section
Take out the corn after about 15 minutes of boiling. Cut off two corn kernels at the top with a knife. The cross - section should be a uniformly tender yellow color with no white core. If there are still transparent white spots in the center, it means the inside is not fully thawed.
Smell the steam (this method is not as good as the previous two)
When raw corn is being heated, it emits a grassy smell. After it is fully cooked, the smell will turn into a rich, sweet aroma. Especially when boiling, when the steam escaping from the gap of the pot lid changes from a light smell to a sweet smell, you can turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 2 minutes.
Why is my frozen corn on the cob mushy?
Usually, problems occur in the cooking method and the handling process. I think the possible reasons are as follows:
Most likely, it's due to overcooking.
Frozen corn has been pre - cooked before leaving the factory. Cooking it for more than 8 minutes during secondary processing will damage the cell structure. The correct way is to put it into boiling water and keep it boiling over medium heat for 6 minutes, then remove it immediately.
Incorrect thawing
Never thaw it in advance! Put the frozen corn directly into the pot. If it is thawed before cooking, the water absorption and expansion rate of the corn kernels will increase by 40%, resulting in a mushy texture.
There may also be quality issues.
When purchasing, check if there are ice crystals in the packaging bag. Clumped corn indicates that it has been repeatedly frozen and thawed. High - quality frozen corn should have distinct kernels and an intact package.
Here are the remedies:
Immediately soak it in ice water for 2 minutes to stop the damage.
Peel off the whole corn kernels and drain them.
Spread them evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 90°C for 15 minutes to restore some crispness.
