jimswside wrote:Ive been doing my corn as I always do, soaked and then grilled in the husk.

I need some help with this one, because I see this method all the time but don't really get it. You pull the husk back, soak in water, replace the husk and grill?

I ask because I feel like if you're opening the husk, you're risking vapor loss (even if you're able to force water into the kernels by soaking, which I wonder about, too.) As long as I buy corn with tight husks, they just go right on the grill. I find the fact that their husks are still snugly attached keeps the moisture in and steams the cobs, and they seem to be very forgiving as far as cooking time is concerned. I'm usually doing a few other things at the same time anyway, so I don't want to have to be precise with the corn. They keep warm well off the grill too, again because the husks are intact. If I want some caramelization or smoke flavor, I just roll the corn around on the grill a bit after removing the husks.

What am I missing? Or are you soaking with the husks attached - can moisture get in there through the husks?

DeathByOrca wrote:
What am I missing? Or are you soaking with the husks attached - can moisture get in there through the husks?

I toss the whole piece of corn husk intact into a sinkfull of cold water for 2-3 hours.

Then grill until the husk is charred(10-15 mins, and not something I need to moinitor closely), comes off real easy, silk, and all.

Hmm. So is the role of the water soak to keep the husks from burning or to actually moisturize the kernels? And it works?

Thanks for the quick reply.

DeathByOrca wrote:Hmm. So is the role of the water soak to keep the husks from burning or to actually moisturize the kernels? And it works?

Thanks for the quick reply.

I think the soaked husks help keep everything moist, and steams the kernels, and keeps them from buring, but allows some to carmelize.

Only one way to find out - 2 my way and 2 your way. We'll compare notes later.

DeathByOrca wrote:Only one way to find out - 2 my way and 2 your way. We'll compare notes later.

let me know.

THe corn I had last night didnt even need to be cooked it was so good, I nibbled on some of the small kernels off the ends I had cut off before I steamed the rest.

After several years thinking about the best way to cook whole ears of corn, and listening to endless debates at family barbecues, I've come to the realization that it's difficult to screw up good, fresh corn.

I've cooked in the husk, in the husk after soaking the ears, out of husk, in the oven, in water, on the grill, indirect heat, direct heat...you name it. I can't say I was disappointed with any of them. The best part is the calm comfort that comes when I tune out the annual family debates about how to cook the corn.

The best sweet corn is one that has a big mass of corn smut at the top. Cook that up in a quesadilla and throw the ear away.

Cathy2 wrote:I roasted three ears at 500 degrees for 45 minutes with skins and silks on for lunch today. I picked this idea from a LAZ thread.

Here is the thread on Nero Wolfe corn. No soaking. No shucking. No silking. Just put the corn in a hot oven or on the grill. Wonderful.

Nero Wolfe Corn

Oven-roasted




Grill-roasted