Ahh! Sweet corn on the cob. The stores have the fresh ears stacked on end tables now, and it has been a great year for corn. Shuck the corn, remove the silk, and grill it, steam it, boil it, or zap it in the microwave and you are eating delicious, fresh corn on the cob.
But.
Getting the silk off is sometimes a problem and an otherwise appetizing fresh ear of boiled corn looks not quite so appetizing with yellow hairs clinging to the cobs.
Corn silk, of course, is the fine weave of wiry fibers that hide just below the leaves, or husks, on an ear of corn. They grow as the ear grows, often sticking up from the tip of the ear of corn, forming a pouf of sorts. The silk protects the corn from drying out, but when it’s stuck in your teeth, that’s not so good.
I read recently that there is a way to easily remove corn silk without trying to fine pick the last few strands. Here’s what the experts say:
Remove the husk and majority of silk by grabbing the tuft of silk at the top of the corn or by pinching the husk between two fingers. Pull down and away from the ear of corn. Repeat until all the husk and most of the silk are gone.
Then, grab a stiff-bristled brush, like a vegetable brush or one of those extra toothbrushes your dentist puts in a bag. Starting at the top of the ear of corn, brush downward, in one direction, around the entire corn ear. Going around once or twice is all that’s necessary. The bristles will grab the strands and yank them off. You don’t even have to wash the corn after.
There you have it. Fresh corn on the cob and no corn silk.