Is there a better way to cut blanched corn kernels off the cob?
 

How do you cut blanched corn kernels off of the cob? I'm new to the process and just did eighty+ ears freezer bagged. Standing the cobs on end, I tried two different types of knives, a standard blade and a serrated blade-both very sharp. The serrated blade seemed to work better but in both cases the cuts were somewhat erratic at times leaving the partial kernel bases still on the cob.
Do I need to learn the correct way to use the knife or is there another recommended type of mechanical device that I need to know about and purchase?
My next larger patch of corn is due to come off in two weeks.
Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

I used to do mine the same way and it's just a knife that works for you and practice at keeping it close to the cob.

If there are partial kernels left, as you get better at cutting, save those cobs aside and scrape a spoon down them into a pan- this is how you get the juice for creamed corn. Also good added into a good chicken stock, or add to a casserole dish, or even for the famous creamed corn!

I often use a mandolin when I was making creamed corn to take the 1/2 kernels off the cobs.

There are those round ring things you slide down the ears, but they never worked well for me.

There is a tool that will cut it off for you. You just circle the ear and run it down. I still use a knife but learned a few years ago to use a bundt pan. Set the cob in the center hole and the corn goes right in the pan.

Personally, my own self - and this is just me - I use my teeth. A little butter for lube...

I've tried various knives, including fish filet knifes of various kinds. I like the serrated ones best because I can use them to scrape off the remnants of the lower kernels after the initial slice. There was one knife that was mostly smooth, but had about an inch of jagged teeth near the base. That one was just about perfect, but the fishermen in the family seem to have lost it. :(

[QUOTE=dmforcier;657842]Personally, my own self - and this is just me - I use my teeth. A little butter for lube...[/QUOTE]
Thanx I was hesitant to say,"hey just eat it".Wife has a long curved like a banana foot long really thin sharp knife that she can render stood on end with a four pronged fork.Sucking on the core (mind you this done fresh pick)at this time is heaven.The kernel goes in the freezer for fresh freeze.:lol:

[IMG]https://i0.wp.com/beekman1802.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/072980_Corn-Soup-Corn-Soup-IMG_7022.jpg?resize=592%2C304&ssl=1[/IMG]

I hope you are using the leftover cobs for corn stock. Reduced enough, then frozen, it makes for really sweet tasty corn soup in the winter. I use a lot more cobs to water ratio than this calls for and reduce it until it tastes nice and sweet and "corny", then make the rest of the recipe with it. It is REALLY good. But I am also a fan of Chipotle. :)

My favorite recipe (from the Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook, Ridge, Kilmer-Purcell):

SMOKY ROASTED CORN SOUP WITH CHIPOTLE CHILE

3 ears corn, husked
1 poblano pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 small red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 T. olive oil
3 cups water
2 T. unsalted butter
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ t. chipotle chile powder
¾ t. coarse (kosher) salt
½ cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Using a chef’s knife, scrape the corn kernels off the cobs onto a rimmed baking sheet; reserve the cobs. Add the poblano and bell pepper to the baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, and roast for 25 minutes, tossing the vegetables once or twice, until the corn is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cut the cobs into thirds crosswise and place in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is flavorful. Strain the corn broth into a bowl.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender. Add the roasted corn and pepper mixture, the corn broth, chipotle powder, and salt and simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to blend. Add the cream and gently heat. Serve hot.

Really, the easiest is cutting it off raw and then cooking it. trust me. works much better. then cook it just until the color goes from opaque to clear no matter whether it is white, yellow or bicolor and then measure it into 1/2 servings per bag of how many you normally feed for dinner and then freeze it. I use a corn zipper. it is the best tool I have found so far.
[url]https://www.amazon.com/Kuhn-Rikon-2216-Corn-Zipper/dp/B001UOCYLI[/url]

That corn soup sounds good. And easy! Thanks.

Yes, use the zipper.

That tool looks great.

I have been putting a small bowl upside down inside a big
stainless mixing bowl and cut resting the ear on the butt of the small bowl. Big bowl
contains the kernels. Back of the knife I scrape for the 'milk'.

Soup looks good. I add a small-medium diced potato and celery. Take a cup out and
blend/puree, then add back instead of heavy cream... And lots of
garlic. Starting with a good veg stock I don't miss the milk. Don't usually have milk,
just plain yogurt.

Just recently started buying poblanos regularly. Such good flavor over regular green
bells I never buy. I took a half dozen on my recent trip and they lasted for the entire
month. Fantastic in chowders.

The potatoes are a good idea, I have thought about adding some anyway. I prefer to stick to pure corn stock though, rather than a generic mixed vegetable stock, because it gives it a nice sweet, "corny" flavor rather the flavor of of a vegetable soup with corn in it. I am certain you can make unlimited variations that would all be very good.

You can use the spent cobs to make vegan honey/corn cob jelly. You'll be amazed that it taste just like honey.
[url]https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/corncob-jelly[/url]

Corn cob Jelly!? Sounds amazing. Never knew that one existed.

I should have mentioned I use leek top stock. Marked separate from my usual veg stock.
Just leek tops, garlic, onion, celery, whole seeds of peppercorn, coriander, etc. No carrot
or other veg.

I use it for all chowders, fish etc. Very mild but flavorful.

I've been out of the country without fresh corn so getting excited about it seeing this
thread.

Chuck the ears up in a wood lathe at one thousand rounds per minute. :yes:
Worth

There should be an infomercial for this.
[url]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxdGvGbNrE[/url]

my other favorite corn recipe, Corn Salad (I tried it both ways and prefer to leave out the vinegar):

[IMG]https://i0.wp.com/beekman1802.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/IMG_6419.jpg?resize=550%2C412&ssl=1[/IMG]


2 teaspoons olive oil

3 slices bacon (about 2 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

1 Yukon gold potato, about 8 ounces (or other if you prefer), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2 inch dice coarse salt

6 ears of corn, shucked and kernels scraped from cob with a knife (3 cups)

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Measure the fat remaining in the skillet – you need 2 tablespoons (if the bacon was particularly lean and you don’t have enough, add olive oil to make up the difference.)

Add the potato to the skillet and cook, tossing occasionally until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally until the pepper and potato are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add the corn and cook until piping hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the onion, vinegar, season with salt and red pepper and stir to combine. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

[QUOTE=Rajun Gardener;657993]There should be an infomercial for this.
[URL]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6oxdGvGbNrE[/URL][/QUOTE]

Too many steps for one person to do at once for one ear of corn.
Plus it is creamed corn.
A good ole time corn husking and some old ladies with sharp knives is what you need.:lol:

I'd go with a good sharp knife, a bowl ( or bundt pan), and a bit of practice. And all the husking would be done outside.

[QUOTE=Worth1;658022]Too many steps for one person to do at once for one ear of corn.
Plus it is creamed corn.
A good ole time corn husking and some old ladies with sharp knives is what you need.:lol:[/QUOTE]

Right on, Worth! Plus I can't imagine how tired my wrist would get hanging on to that drill for 50 ears of corn, which what I normally process at a time. And I don't like creamed corn! :P

You have to have an assembly line just like building a car or anything else.
Huskers, silkers, cutters and cob scrapers.
I was a husker, my father the silker and my mom the cutter.
My sister was looking at Coed and Teen Magazine.:evil:
Only because I sneaked in 4 long rows of sweet corn in the garden.:))
What the hell is that coming up?:shock:
Sweet corn.:twisted:
What about the green beans?
We already have too many green beans.
Well you're going to take care of it.
The long cob stem can be left on and it becomes the handle to hold while cutting off corn with the knife.;)
Worth

Hey folks-let's get this thread back on track-LOOKING FOR A WORKING GOOD CORN COB KERNEL EXTRACTING TOOL OTHER THAN YOUR EVERYDAY MAMMA'S KITCHEN KNIFE-please no more recipes, assembly line procedures, lathe extraction, beans, potatoes or cob jelly. Please stick to my subject or start your own thread. Jeeze...

Your welcome.

Worth

Ya. you seem to be missing the spirit of the place.

Wanna borrow my dentures?

[QUOTE=nickel plate;657819]How do you cut blanched corn kernels off of the cob?[/QUOTE]

I think many of us answered this question by saying, in one way or another, "with a knife."

[QUOTE=nickel plate;657819]Do I need to learn the correct way to use the knife ...?[/QUOTE]


I believe a few of us said yes to this one.

[QUOTE=nickel plate;657819]Do I need to learn the correct way to use the knife or is there another recommended type of mechanical device that I need to know about and purchase?[/QUOTE]

And I'm betting no one came up with any recommendations because, as we told you in response to your first question, most of us have found it easiest to just do it with a knife.

[QUOTE=nickel plate;658375]Hey folks-let's get this thread back on track-LOOKING FOR A WORKING GOOD CORN COB KERNEL EXTRACTING TOOL OTHER THAN YOUR EVERYDAY MAMMA'S KITCHEN KNIFE-please no more recipes, assembly line procedures, lathe extraction, beans, potatoes or cob jelly. Please stick to my subject or start your own thread. Jeeze...[/QUOTE]

you have posted 7 times. many of the threads tend to veer off into other topics in a heartbeat. you either have to roll with it or turn off the notifications if it annoys you or find another site that is rigid and stays on topic to the nth degree. that sounds really interesting. mmm hmm.humor is the breath of life. breathe.

I went back and read your original post.
If you think a serrated blade is sharper or better than the so called standard knife then that knife isn't sharp.
Next there is no such thing as a standard knife.
The very best all around knife I have and I have around fifty is called a santoku knife.
Farberware makes a good stainless steel one that has good steel and economical to buy.
Get one make it shave and learn how to use it.
If you can't make a knife shave get a ceramic knife.
Worth

Some things we must do every year are just a time consuming chore.

But I only process a dozen at a time just a few times a season. Seems to be enough for
the Winter months.
I do have the LeeValley tool, but by the time I find it downstairs in the storage drawers
I could be done with a knife and bowl. (so I didn't mention it unless your knife skills are
not so great.)

If I had a boat load to do, I would adopt this method...
[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk6KOsIgJKo"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk6KOsIgJKo[/URL]

Since it involves power tools I could hand off the entire job to others :D

Let's chill out, nickel plate! ;) We like to converse and have fun here and I see no problem with any of the replies, recipes or not.
(admin)

This is the tool I was talking about