If you haven’t yet gotten your fill of fresh summer corn, it’s time to start shucking and husking, pronto. While you could make the case that corn has become season-less, a perennial staple in both the freezer aisle and canned goods section, the most advanced preservation technology still can’t capture the full bouquet of flavors, nor the sheer sensory experience, of sinking your teeth into a fresh, crisp row of sunny yellow kernels.
How Long Does Fresh Corn Keep?
Don’t wait another minute. Aside from dwindling harvests, timing is critical once you bring your haul back home. Sugars begin converting to starch the moment each ear is picked, making it more bland with every passing day. That’s why “fresh” corn in December doesn’t have the same magic as August; it’s already been in transit for who knows how long, shipped in from warmer climates on a slow boat.
Need More Ideas For Fresh Corn?
Make the most of your haul with these fool-proof recipes. From appetizers to desserts, classic to unconventional, there’s nothing that quality corn can’t do.
10 Best Fresh Corn Recipes
Elote or Esquites
Grilled corn smeared with a creamy, spice spread is about the height of summertime flavor ecstasy. Cut those kernels off the cob, and you have esquites instead. Either way, it's an absolute must when fresh corn is abundant.
K-Elote (Korean Elote)
Juicy, charred fresh corn is smothered in spicy kimchi mayo and topped with savory almond-based cotija cheese in this K-Mex fusion dish. It's explosively flavorful and wildly addictive.
Sweet Corn Milk Tea
Juicy golden kernels of fresh summer corn blend into a silky-smooth pourable cream. Swirl that into cold brewed black tea for a bold, bracing, and invigorating contrast. Milk tea should be soothing, while ice tea is refreshing, balancing both elements in one tall glass.
BBQ Corn Ribs
Sweet, spicy, sticky, and delightfully messy, BBQ corn ribs are as fun to eat as they are delicious! This technique yields effortlessly tender-crisp fresh corn with beautifully charred, lightly caramelized edges.
Succotash Salad
Pared down to the essentials, succotash is a celebration of summer vegetables at the peak of perfection. Switch it up by adding in diced bell peppers, either raw or roasted, sliced fresh okra, or lightly sauteed zucchini. Serve over leafy greens to make it a more conventional starter salad or bulk it up with additional beans to enjoy as an entree.
Fresh Corn Pasta
Homemade pasta infused with the golden goodness of fresh corn is a perfect bite of summer. Don't miss your opportunity at the height of the harvest season!
Sweet Corn Pound Cake
The delicate flavor of fresh sweet corn sparkles in this simple, tender pound cake. It's delightful on its own or dressed up with fruit, whipped cream, or even chocolate ganache.
Cornbread Crumb Cake
With an impossibly dense yet fluffy crumb, this cake has the soul of cornbread by the heart of dessert.
Roasted Corn Velouté
The term velouté typically refers to a silky-smooth sauce, but in this case, it was the only term that seemed sufficient to describe the creamy, luscious texture of such a full-bodied soup. Thickened not with added starches, gums, or flours, its the bulk of the corn itself that creates this winsome quality. It’s a good thing I’m so fond of this blend, served both piping hot and thoroughly chilled, because it looks like there will still be a lot more where that came from… At least until my thumb is on the mend.
Summer Corn Salad
Impeccably fresh summer produce needs little effort to shine. Roasting them intensifies their flavors, concentrates sweetness, and creates a boldly flavorful side dish in a flash.
How did we miss that recipe for Korean Elote?!? We are on it! So much flavor and only a few more weeks of fresh corn.
Great inspiration here, thanks! We have not had enough corn this summer.