Cast-Iron Skillet Fried Corn with "Corn Milk"
The Meat-and-Three: Potlikker & Seasonal Produce
Drag the dull side of a chef's knife down the bare cob. Forget that watered-down creamed corn from a can; the real technique means scraping the naked cob to extract a starchy milk that binds sweet corn, bacon fat, and butter into a caramelized masterpiece. Keep the heavy cast-iron skillet hot, listen as the starch hisses against the iron, and step back while it thickens.
Before you start
Keep your counter clean by using a standard Bundt cake pan.
Stand the shucked ear of corn vertically with its tip in the center hole; as you slice downward and scrape the cob, the wide bowl catches every flying kernel and drop of sticky milk.
Ingredients
- fresh sweet corn6 large ears
- thick-cut smoked bacon3 slices
- unsalted butter3 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- freshly cracked black pepper1 1/2 tsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Harvest the kernels and scrape the cob for its milk.
Stand the corn upright and slice straight down to remove the kernels, then flip your knife to the dull back edge and scrape firmly down the naked cob to extract every drop of the thick, starchy corn milk into your bowl.
- 02
Render the bacon fat in a large cast-iron skillet.
Lay the bacon in the pan over medium heat and cook until deeply browned and crispy, then remove it to drain, leaving about two tablespoons of liquid fat in the skillet.
- 03
Hit the hot fat with butter, corn, and heavy seasoning.
Melt two tablespoons of butter into the bacon grease, then carefully pour in the kernels and corn milk before seasoning with the salt, heavy black pepper, and sugar.
- 04
Simmer and caramelize the starches against the hot iron.
Let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the bottom layer sizzles and picks up a golden-brown crust, and the liquid reduces to a thick, silky glaze.
- 05
Finish with a final knob of butter and serve hot.
Kill the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of butter for a rich, glossy finish, adjusting the salt and pepper if needed before serving straight from the pan.
Notes
Taste your corn before you sugar it.
Modern supermarket corn is bred to be aggressively sweet; if you have peak summer corn, ditch the sugar entirely so it doesn't taste like dessert.
Fake the milk if you are forced to cook out of season.
If you are stuck using frozen corn in the dead of winter, you can't scrape a cob; add three to four tablespoons of heavy cream in the last five minutes of cooking to mimic the missing starch.
From Cook Southern Food.