Never buy corn on the cob if you see these red flags

A farmer shares his tips.

Buying corn can feel like a gamble. Sometimes, I get a beautiful cob full of sweet kernels; other times, it’s less desirable. The husk makes it impossible to actually see the cob inside, and it’s good shopping etiquette to wait until you’ve committed to buying it before peeling it to have a look. 

How To Find the Sweetest Corn

The best corn, according to farmer Murray McNab, is fresh corn. He jokingly told me that his preferred method is “to take your pot of boiling water into the corn patch” and cook it right there. 

Realistically, most of us are buying corn at a farmer’s market, grocery store, or a roadside farmstand, rather than picking and eating it right in the field. But there are still a few things to know that ensure the corn will be fresh and delicious. 

First, the variety of corn matters. Murray isn’t a big fan of heirloom varieties like Golden Bantam and Early Vee. These were bred before sugar retention became a high priority, so they have a starchier, less sweet flavor. Some people do enjoy those types of corn, though, for their old-fashioned, more complex flavor. 

If you, like Murray, want your corn as sweet as possible, follow his advice and look for sugar-enhanced varieties. Luckily, these are likely what you’ll find in the grocery store, even if they’re not labeled as such. At the farmer’s market or farmstand, you can always ask the farmer when the corn was picked and what variety it is. 

The Red Flags To Avoid When Buying Corn

There are plenty of visual cues to look for to ensure your corn is fresh, too. The husk will give you a lot of information. If it’s bright green and tightly wrapped around the cob, that’s a good sign. If it’s looking dried out, yellowing, or peeling away from the ear, that means it’s past its prime. 

The cornsilk tells a story, too. They should be slightly moist with a golden to light brown color—not dried out, overly dark, and definitely not slimy. After inspecting those, turn the ear around and look at the stem end, where it was cut from the plant. It should look freshly cut, not dried out and brown. 

Finally, give the corn a squeeze and a sniff. You should feel firm kernels all the way to the tip of the cob. If you detect any soft spots or gaps, pass on that ear. As for the smell, it should be faintly sweet, with no off or fermented odors. 

Once you’ve brought your corn home, either cook it right away or get it in the fridge as fast as you can, then enjoy it within a day or two. And if you happen to be near a corn patch with a pot of boiling water, take a page out of Murray’s book and have a feast right there!

Read the original article on Simply Recipes