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My former (now deceased) MIL was a great cook and hailed from Louisa, KY. I never asked how she made her “fried” corn, but I figured it out eventually.
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: varies
Ingredients
fresh corn on the cob
water
butter
salt
sugar
pepper
Directions
Cut corn from the cobs with a sharp knife (don’t scrape the cobs). Dump the kernels in a deep & wide skillet or pot. Add just enough water to cover the kernels. Add a stick of butter, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Bring quickly to a boil, then reduce heat to a healthy simmer and cook until the water has mostly cooked away and the corn is tender. Adjust seasonings, adding pepper to taste. YUMMO!
If you did it just right, you have fresh corn perfectly cooked in a sweet butter sauce 🙂
Categories: Old-Fashioned, Side Dishes, Vegetables
Submitted by: wvhomecanner on June 19, 2010
kbrum1066 says:
This is entirely different than the fried corn I have grown up with (and still cook today). To start with, bacon drippings were used (no butter or margarine) and each ear was cut and scraped (usually several times).
There are two secrets to good fried corn. 1] Use a large cast iron skillet. and 2] get as much of the liquid from the corn as possible.
Cook the corn over medium to medium high heat. As it cooks, you will need to continuously scrape the bottom of the skillet. These scrapings will be dark and super sweet (and very sticky – I usually have an additional utensil to scrape it off of the scraper) as it is a result of the sugars in the scrapings and the liquid carmelizing. Continue cooking and scraping until the corn is the desired doneness. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
While fresh corn works by far the best, frozen corn will also work almost as well. Canned corn will also work, but tends to have less useable sugars and usually is far too soft for me. You can even throw in a can of creamed corn, but I do not recommend it as it usually adds so much liquid that the sugars take forever to properly carmelize and it usually overcooks before then.
I usually get very little when I cook it… my son usually polishes off a dozen ears without even trying. If my daughter is there, she will eat almost as much.
On July 18, 2012 at 7:23 pm
VaGirl2 says:
kbrum1066, this sounds like the way my mama fried corn! I know she would’ve used bacon grease…my cousins ask me every year at our family reunions if I know how to fry corn like my mama did. And I don’t! I remember watching her cut corn off the cob and scraping for every last drop of the juice.
So, I’m going to try your way to see if it is like I remember. I have never even thought to use bacon grease instead of butter, but I know my way doesn’t taste like hers. Thanks for posting! My cousins will be happy. 🙂
On July 20, 2012 at 11:29 am
fowlers says:
Yep, bacon grease is a must! I also have added a little bit of hot peppers or some grean pepper:: kinda shakes the dish up a bit:::good stuff either way! Think I may have to make me some fried corn soon::: real soon!!! lol
On July 23, 2012 at 2:14 pm