The Quickest and Easiest Way to Remove the Husk and Silk from Corn on the Cob

We pretty much all agree: it’s just not summer without enjoying fresh corn on the cob. Corn is, of course, an absolutely delicious vegetable, but it’s also one that really makes you work for the taste. If you’re buying it straight from a farm stand, or even from the grocery store, that means it comes wrapped in its husk and trailing silk. Getting rid of both is a time-consuming task, and while it’s definitely worth it, sometimes we just don’t have the minutes or the patience to do it. At those moments, rather than turning to frozen kernels, there’s an easy, incredible trick we can use, and it involves a surprising appliance: the microwave. America’s Test Kitchen demonstrates this quick, mind-blowing hack.

How crazy cool is that? Let’s recap that method:

1. Starting from the stalk end, slice off the tip 1 inch above the last row of kernels.
2. Place on a plate, and microwave for 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Grab the corn by the uncut end, and shake while squeezing at the same time. The corn will slide out husk-and-silk free!

All thanks to the magic of microwave steam! Have you ever seen this trick before? What do you think of it?