Cooler Corn – Corn for a Crowd – Quick and Easy

Got a crowd coming?  Want to serve some of this year’s delicious New England corn-on-the-cob, but not sure how to cook it all at once?  Give the “Cooler Corn” method a go.  It is tried and true.  It keeps the kitchen cool, and it cooks the corn to perfection. 

The method could not be any simpler. 

Simply fill a cooler with boiling-hot water, and place the shucked ears of corn right on in.  The best way to get the water hot would be to use a couple of kettles at a time.  Each layer of corn ( about 8-10 ears ) will require about a half gallon of water or more.

We have found that because the water temperature drops as the corn cooks, there is little damage of overcooking the corn.  After about 30 minutes, the corn is cooked to perfection, just hot enough to melt the butter, but not too hot to handle.  The corn even stays perfect for up to two hours!

We must stress food safety here.  You absolutely must make sure that the cooler that you use is completely clean.  Wash it very well with hot,hot soapy water.  If you’ve used the cooler for any kind of raw meats in the past, you might even consider a 20-minute soak in a dilute solution of hot water and vinegar.  Rinse well to remove the vinegar taste and smell.  

This method works very well in smaller coolers, too.  It’s a great idea to use for your camping trips. 

Once you have eaten or removed all the corn, you can bring the cooler outside and simply pull the plug at the bottom to drain the water.

In the unlikely event that you end up with leftover corn, be sure to view our Summer Corn Recipes for lots of great ideas to use up your corn-on-the-cob.  

Or visit our Pinterest “Corn” board.