"Possum Korn"

[SableSprings]

OK, so it's corn season again (in Oregon) and time to bring this Possum Korn thread back up on top. I did a dozen ears last week and had several left over. Instead of cutting and pulling the silk cap, I just put 'em back in the refrigerator that night. The next day I threw them back in the oven with a little foil cover to heat 'em up, cut them and was pleased the silk came off just as well as with the freshly roasted ears. I'm thinking the cooking sets the sugars because the "day old" corn was still mighty tasty...maybe starchy corn is a thing of the past . I also have fallen for spreading pesto on my corn instead of butter...gotta love summer and the options!

I decided this year not to bother with trying the injection method, I do soak the ears in cold water for an hour or two before throwing them on the foil lined baking sheet and into the oven. I'm running the oven at 450-500F after my bread bake, so 30-35 minutes gets them perfectly cooked. Bon Appetit !

[SableSprings]

Once you've got a cleaned ear of corn (cooked or raw) and you want kernels instead of the "on the cobb" version, try this method. Cut the stem of the ear off "square" and stand it on the center post of a bundt pan. Use your knife to slice down the cobb and the cut kernels drop neatly into the pan. As a handy tip for those who don't like whacking their favorite knife blade, simply place the cobb butt slightly off center on the post. That way as you slice and reposition the cobb for the next cut, your knife should never hit the top of the bundt pan post. Works pretty slick and you don't have those kernels flying all over the kitchen floor or have to take a trip to the sharpening stone...

[SableSprings]

I really like the look of the pulled back shucks to improve the "handle" of the Possum Korn method.

I was pretty lazy when I did my last batch of PK and just threw the corn in the oven. Method still worked well...shuck came right off with 99% of the silk...good to know when you're pressed for time (or can't find the butter syringe).

CobblerDave: those two "old" recipes sound great...I suspect you could take some frozen corn when season's over and make up a pretty good side dish. Yet another fabulous idea to squeeze under my belt, thanks for sharing.

[cobblerdave]

G'day
Both these reciepes come from a cook book by Matt Preston brought by my wife after a long discussion with my brother on cooking corn. Yes the thread was brought up but couldn't find it at that time
Dutch corn
Cream 125 gram soft butter and 100 gram brown sugar together and slather on hot corn. A squeeze of lemon and black pepper go on this well. If you like salted caramel you'll love this.
Bacon and maple corn
200 ml of maple syrup boil for 5 mins. When cool whisk in 100 ml Dijon mustard and a heaped tablespoon of seeded mustard.
Slather on hot corn and add crumbled crisp bacon and cheddar cheese.
Not a big fan of sweet but this is Sooooo... Good.
Can't wait to try this on my bro

[Gulf]

Mike,

This is an old thread but, today on another one, you have me wanting to update it. I have been playing with all the suggestions over the past couple of seasons. I have been using your handle idea. But, I've added just a little of a twist. This thread has made me much wiser. I now know what ghee is. I've injected corn, seared steaks, fried pork chops, and chicken in it. I love it. I haven't bought ghee by that name as of yet, but I am clarifying butter at home just the same. I've tried cooking lots of different seasoning in the butter before injecting. Salt, a little garlic powder, and maybe some onion powder seem to turn out the best results for me. Pepper and any other seasonings seam to work better when added after the cook.


I had noticed over the last couple of seasons that something could be improved. What I noticed was that usually, when I injected the refrigerated ears of corn, the butter that ran out would immediately congeal. I figured that it did the same on the inside. So, I started placing the corn in a pot of hot tap water for a few minutes. This also seamed to loosen the shucks just a bit. I then started injecting the silk end. I no longer pierce the shuck. I just make the injection from the opening on that end, rolling the ear a third each time, and finding my way for the needle between the corn and the shuck. I usually arrange the corn with the silk end up in a Graniteware pot so that the butter will spread by gravity down through the corn for a few minutes before putting it in the oven or on the grill. The cook that I am going to show was done on a grill with indirect heat. But, time and temp are the same, 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, for fully cooked corn in the shuck. I've done it both ways several times. When I have company coming over, I use all my tools to get the job done.

Mike,
When I want a handle for the guests, I now pull back most of the dry shucks back below the stem of the fully cooked corn. A layer of shucks close to kernels will still be moist. I cut through them but not completely through the stem. The few shucks that are left still allow me to strip the corn silkless. The corn is ready to eat at this point. But, for those that like a little caramelization, I put it on the grill with direct heat for a few seconds. That is just an option. If you put it on the grill, a little foil wrapped around the handle is good. If not, just wrap some paper towels around the shucks. Now dip it in a mason jar of real butter or spread on some of your own choice of condiments, I've served it Mexican style, with mayonnaise as a base. Sweet corn, yellow corn etc. It is all good as long as the corn is cooked right .

[Gulf]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Mike,

That is a great! idea, only cutting through the husks, leaving the stem for a handle. I will definately be adding that one to my repertoire . The last corn that I did in the oven was late season yellow corn. I don't normally have problems with either sweet or yellow corn easily sliding out of the husks. But, I did with that batch. I was running behind with the other foods and did not inject the corn with butter. I also had to brush some of the silk off and it was dryer than I had expected. It was good but, not great. It could have been old corn, or it could have been that I had not injected it. I wish now, that I had taken the time to inject half of that batch for a comparison.

[SableSprings]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Hey Gulf - I know we're past corn season, but early in September I had some corn that didn't slide out very easily and got lots of "suggestions" on how to improve my grip & squeeze strength. Since I don't do well with peer pressure, I wondered if I could somehow improve the possum korn shuck...

I baked the corn as before, but instead of cutting off the stem, I just cut around the base through the shuck and kernels. Then I used the stem end as a handle and do a pull-apart motion with the upper husk. It certainly worked better for me and the corn still comes out pretty silk-free. Some folks at the table wanted to keep the handle on to eat their corn and others broke it off before chowing down. Anyway, thought you might want to try this next season.

In the pics below you'll notice that I had to make some dessert muffins while baking the corn. Kept the muffins up front where it was slightly cooler and put 'em on an inverted half sheet pan to keep the bottoms from being over caramelized.

[Gulf]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Dave,
As a boy, I "did my time" on the butter churn Say'n Gee meant that that the mule was going to step on your foot , if you did not slide to the right .

Just kidding about the mule. My dad had a poppin john, by the time that I came along .

Thanks Ya'll, for the input. I strive to learn something every day.

Russell,
The maters, really put on a show. But, it seams that they have a short growing season. They are on the decline down here in the heat. I'm not sure, if it is the way that I watered them, but they seem to have gotten the blight early this year. My wife says that they were scalded. Next year, everthing that I plant will have a soaker hose planted underneath. I had intended to start some from seed about a month apart. But, I think that rooting the suckers from the early plants will help extend the season, and also help adapt the next generations of SMs to the south.

[UtahBeehiver]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Fun link, we make butter once in a while for special occasions and add chives and form for the Holidays. There is no saving money doing this and actually twice as much as store both butter but we can say we made it ourselves.

Gulf, have not had a chance to try the possum corn yet but on the cue for the next firing. Our local salt and pepper corn is at peak right now. Getting enough SM to eat but that's it. How the cousins doing?

[leetheldc]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Great story dave can't beat old memories! Do you still make butter yourself today ?

[cobblerdave]

Re: "Possum Korn"

G'day
Raw milk, unprocessed, was left to sit. The cream when to the top and was skimmed off. What was left was buttermilk, slightly tart, slightly acidic. Perfectly to activate self raising flour to make pancakes.
The cream whipped in an hand operated butter churn was then patted between 2 wooden paddles to remove the last of the weigh.
Salted it became table butter to spread on bread.
Unsalted it was heated to separate the last of the hard fat from the last of the protein and water. The gee was the perfect thing to cook your pancakes in.
And then serve them with homemade strawberry jam and whipped cream.
This was what my grandma used to do ... And I was the kid on the butter churn.
Regards dave

[leetheldc]

Re: "Possum Korn"

I love this little thread I maybe should of made the clarifying more clear like dave and Steve said it's basically ghee highly used in Indian cuisine it's used a lot here in uk for pancakes both in the batter and to fry on a couple off mins in a warm pan just skimming the scum from the top with a spoon . To take this further I like to make my own butter salt it to my taste and make as much as I need very simple to do all you need is a food processor with a whipping blade and double cream just whip away until it separates loose all the liquid and form together the solids on some greasproof paper and flavour with salt 39 mins in the fridge and it's spreadable ! And ready to clarify !

[cobblerdave]

Re: "Possum Korn"

G'day buddy
You shared you heart with us and we all thank you.
There are Lots of foods in this world. If you segregate them into good and bad, life gets to a lot of gilt.
Bugger that !!!!
Some of those guilty foods are actually "soul foods" good for the soul but not for the body. Sometimes its good to have a happy soul
All in the right a Amount... I like butter, salted butter, when I can get it. Not often but what the heck
Regards
Dave

[Gulf]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Thanks, to you both Steve, and Dave.

Dave,

I would think that roasting corn in the husk, in it's own juices, without any additives would be the most "heart safe" method. It is good.................... To be honest, it is very good. But, since I am about finished with mine, I would still like to explore a "great! taisting one"............................every now and then .

[cobblerdave]

Re: "Possum Korn"

Gulf - Clarified butter is a staple in some countries and can be purchased in cans and is sold as GHEE. Better to cook with because the milk solids and other impurities are the bits that burn and GHEE handles the heat a little better. One of the countries that exported a lot of this is Australia.

I too like to cook corn in the husk but have never imagined cooking corn becoming an art form and it seems you guys have already done that. It is listen an learn for me with this.

G'day
Canned butter ( glee) I know to well, in its canned form it was known as part of your "battle rations" as a sailor.
It's the most important part of "Kye" are real strength chocolate drink made in the wee hours to keep the boys going.
Double choc powder , double powdered milk , and gee. Stick to your ribs but if you let it cool .... The butter fat stuck to the top.
Wouldn't be included in the heart safe diet today
Regards dave