Method Reviewed: Silk Free Corn

My Aunt used to tell me that when the same subject keeps coming up in different aspects of your life, then you know you are in line with the universe.  I’m not sure I’m in line with the universe, but this Silk Free Corn method keeps coming up this summer.  First on a podcast we listened to on the way to the beach, then when my husband went to a friend’s house for dinner they discussed the method, and then there was a blurb in the Cincinnati Enquirer that my mother in law saved for me.  I had to try it!
 

Polly Campbell of the Cincinnati Enquirer describes the method best...

“Microwave corn, unhusked, untrimmed for four minutes an ear.  Then, use a big knife to cut the stem off through the cob.   Then you hold the ear vertically, so the cob drops out of the husk.  No silk.”

 
It was super fun to pull the whole husk off in one motion!
 
But I have to say this method is not for us.  Four minutes per ear was way too much.  I was afraid the first ear I tried was going to turn into popcorn.  From then I tried 3 minutes and the whole husk still came off.  Not every bit of silk came off and so I still steamed the ears in an inch or two of water because that is how I always get those last silks off.  I also thought it was time consuming, three minutes per ear of corn took close to 20 minutes to husk the corn.  I can sit outside and get 6 ears of corn husked in less than 5 minutes, or even better – get my kids to do it.