How to Easily Cut Corn Kernels from the Cob—Plus a Recipe for Simple Corn Chowder

Earlier this week, our dinner was a reflection of exactly what’s available at the markets right now: corn chowder loaded with chunks of potato, zucchini, pepper, and carrots; peach salad with cherry tomatoes and blue cheese; and quick-cooking quesadillas, some stuffed with caramelized onion, brie and fresh cherry preserves (for the adults) and others filled with oven-roasted pizza sauce and grated mozzarella (for the kids).

It was satisfying, simple to make, and super inexpensive thanks to most of the ingredients being in season and readily available. It was also vegetarian, gluten-free, and could easily be made vegan.

When it comes to shucking corn, it’s almost always a job I reserve for the kids. I send them outside with a big bowl and the cobs that need stripping, and let them have fun removing the outer husks. They’ve been doing it since they were four or five, and today they still prefer that task to almost any other I give them.

Also, if you’re wondering how to efficiently remove the kernels from the cobs I have a nifty trick I always put into use: place the pointy end of an ear of corn in the hole of a Bundt pan, and holding the top of the cob firmly, run your knife along the sides of cob, from top to bottom, slicing the kernels off and allowing them to fall into the base of the Bundt pan. I promise you, you will get a dozen cobs of corn cleaned of their kernels in less than 10 minutes using this method.

What are some of your favourite corn recipes for this time of year?

Click here to get the full printable recipe for Simple Corn Chowder.