How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

Hey guys, I have some corn boiling now for about an hour and half and want to know if there is anything I can do to soften up the kernels. Im reading a few sites:

- http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/639886
- http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/545848
- http://www.helium.com/knowledge/1101...orn-on-the-cob
- http://www.howdididoit.com/cooking-a...rn-on-the-cob/

And some are saying to put in some sugar to make it sweeter and not to put salt, as that will harden the skins of the kernels.

How can I make the kernels softer? I can broil them if still needed.

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

I heard in the old days they used to use lye. I wouldn't try it myself though.

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

What kind of corn are you talking about? Fresh corn on the cob only needs to be boiled for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and leave in the hot water for another 5 minutes.

If you want to make nixtamal or hominy from dried corn, either to eat whole or to grind into grits (coarse) or masa (corn flour), look here: http://www.greensense.com/Features/G...e/nixtamal.htm

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

i tried boiling Indian corn, but i gave up. it stayed rock hard.

since it's dark blue, i was thinking - grind it up & make blue corn meal, then mix it with yellow corn meal and get green corn bread ?

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

Yes! Just in time for Christmas too!

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

If I had impossibly tough corn, I'd dry it out completely, put it through my grain mill, turn it into corn meal, and use it to make corn bread, polenta, etc. The same strategy works for beans that have gotten so old that they cook forever and never soften. Turn them into bean flour and use it to thicken sauces, create instant refried beans, etc.

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

How about using a pressure cooker?

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

that's a good idea. i guess the idea is to cook the hard corn kernels till they soften.

does that work ? theoretically you could do the same thing in an oven.

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

What are your doing with this corn? Did you grow it yourself, and if so what kind is it?

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

Thanks for the suggestion to make instant refried beans Merlin. I'm going to give it a try to see how well it works. I've got some really old pinto beans that "cook forever and never soften."

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

I've never tried cooking dried corn kernels on the stove or in a pressure cooker, so I dunno for sure.

Using the pressure cooker lets you achieve higher temperature/pressure than in a pot in the oven, so it might work better on hard grains. I use my pressure cooker when cooking wild rice or recipes with barley. MUCH shorter cooking time than stovetop.

mtnman - I like your idea of "converting" excess grain to clear useful liquid.:coolbeer:

Re: How to tenderize/soften corn kernels?
 

I was making more corn yesterday and decided to try and boil it with salt. I was boiling about 4 ears of corn and added about two tablespoons of salt as i started to boil. I left the husks on top so it would steam more.

The corn came out very soft. I was going for the carnival type corn texture. Where the bite is very soft. Mine was about 80% of that id say.

Not too bad, i would recommend you guys try it.