This Corn On The Cob Hack Will Change How You Shuck Forever

Corn is delicious, but it's also hard to prepare — at least the part where you remove the shucks. While it's true that you can grab huskless versions at the supermarket, buying pre-shucked corn does not come cheap. Plus, the husks keep the kernels from drying out and preserve more flavor compared to naked cobs. 

One traditional — and perhaps the most common — way to shuck corn is by hand, grabbing the silk tassel at the top and pulling the husk layers downward to reveal the plump kernels. Upon reaching the base, a firm pull will remove the shuck completely. Despite sounding easy, this is actually quite hard to do, especially multiple times, if you are preparing corn on the cob recipes for a crowd. Thankfully, there's a trick that not only simplifies the process but also doesn't require much force.

Quickly heat your corn in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, place it on a cutting board and cut off the base of the knob about 1 inch from the bottom. Grab the tip of the husk and silk, then squeeze until the cob slides cleanly out in one piece.

Microwaving the corn makes the husk easier to remove because the heat creates steam between the husk and the kernels, helping the slippery cob slide out without creating a mess. If you intend to use this corn on the cob hack simply to shuck, you only need to microwave it for less than a minute. However, if you are cooking the corn as well, microwave it on high heat for three minutes. If preparing more than one cob, ensure they are not touching each other once inside the microwave, and add another minute to the timer for good measure.

Since this hack involves heat, protect your hands when handling the corn. Either use an oven mitt or a towel to hold the cobb in place while cutting off its stalk to prevent accidental burns. Cooked corn will likely release more steam since it requires extra time in the microwave, so be careful when holding the tip of the husk and silk and giving the ear a firm shake to slide the cob out. To avoid disasters like shucking a rotten ear of corn, always do a sniff test to know if your corn on the cob has already gone bad. Don't take any chances if the raw fruit has a foul smell, even without peeling back its husk.