Cooler Corn

[tjohnson]

I read somewhere about cooking corn in a cooler, and it has been on my mind for some time.

We usually soak corn in the husk, in water, and cook them right on the grill, but the grill was full. 

Rather than cook food in shifts, I decided to give Cooler Corn a try.

The end result truly amazed me!

Clean your cooler well with soap and water

Peel the husk from your corn and place on the bottom of the cooler

Boil water - I used a large stock pot

Pour boiling water into the cooler and close the lid

Allow to sit for 30+ minutes without opening the cover

After 30 minutes, the corn is done!

The results were good, but the corn could have been cooked just a little more for my liking

Next time, I'll use a smaller cooler or maybe just keep the corn in the hot water for 45 minutes instead of 30 minutes

Possibly add more hot water after 15 minutes..... The corn will not overcook

If the corn came from the fridge or cooler at the store, allow the corn to rest at room temp before you add water.  This way, the water temp won't drop so much.

I'll definitely try this again!

Thanks for looking!!

Todd

Corn in cooler with husk removed

Add Boiling Water to the Cooler

Who's the Fat Bald Guy?

Close the cover and leave it alone for 30 minutes

After 30 minutes, open the cooler and remove from hot water

Finished and plated

 

[bama bbq]

Well, now I have seen everything.  Whodathunkit.  Just in time for the forth.  I gotta try it!

 

[alblancher]

Sounds like a great trick when going on a picnic and you don't want to bring and extra burner.    Fill the cooler with hot water before heading out and about the time the burgers are done the corn is done.  

Thanks for sharing

 

[tjohnson]

It's just one of those things that you mind says "This will never work!"

But....It Worked

Go Figure?

TJ

 

[southernsausage]

I'm hesitant of PLASTICS and their harmful effects...I would not do this cooler corn in a plastic cooler. I do not boil food in a plastic bag, nor microwave food or drink in plastic...For me, there are just too many risks associated with it. GLASS is best...My grandmother lived to a healthy 94 years old, bless her soul. She drank from glass, ate from glass, cooked in cast iron, ate 3 squares a day, including, coffee, eggs, bacon, vegetables, standard southern cooking in modest amounts. Read about the harmful effects in plastics if you're interested...

 

[whtplainssmoker]

The only reason I could see to do this would be what Alblancher said (when heading out to a picnic).  Otherwise, if you are boiling the water, why not just cook it in the pot?  I usually only boil fresh corn for 5 minutes.  I would be hesitant to cook in a cooler too.

 

[tjohnson]

I'm hesitant of PLASTICS and their harmful effects...I would not do this cooler corn in a plastic cooler. I do not boil food in a plastic bag, nor microwave food or drink in plastic...For me, there are just too many risks associated with it. GLASS is best...My grandmother lived to a healthy 94 years old, bless her soul. She drank from glass, ate from glass, cooked in cast iron, ate 3 squares a day, including, coffee, eggs, bacon, vegetables, standard southern cooking in modest amounts. Read about the harmful effects in plastics if you're interested...

I read some info on this, and since we're only dealing with 210°, I saw no harm in using a plastic cooler

Outgassing begins at it's melting point

The ideal cooler would be an old Igloo metal lined cooler

TJ

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I'm a radical frugal homesteader at heart, I use this method of cooking all the time and have for years.
It's based on the old haybox or strawbox cookers from yesteryear, when hay of straw was used as an insulator, the original slow cooker.
Makes some awesome food.

If the thought of the plastic bothers you, put the food in a cooking vessel that you're comfortable with....I use and enameled dutch oven much of the time.

I had some insulated covers made, I set the who thing in a square cooler.



http://www.instructables.com/id/Hay-Slow-Cooker/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox

http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/haybox-cooking-zmaz80jfzraw.aspx


~Martin

 

[diggingdogfarm]

The only reason I could see to do this would be what Alblancher said (when heading out to a picnic).  Otherwise, if you are boiling the water, why not just cook it in the pot?  I usually only boil fresh corn for 5 minutes.  I would be hesitant to cook in a cooler too.

Corn isn't the best example.
The reasons for using a "haybox" cooker are the same as for any slow cooker, plus it's super efficient.


~Martin

 

[3montes]

I have heard of this and considered giving it a try but I'm not one to boil anything in water. When you look at the water and it's cloudy after boiling something thats where all your flavor just went. Once you have water boiling why not just throw the corn in it?

Steaming corn or any vegatable is the way to go imo.

 

[eman]

I add crab boil and honey to my corn when i boil it . Wonder if i should add it when i boil the water or when i pour the water over the corn???

 

[scarbelly]

Hey Todd - 

Looking good and I am talking about the corn not you - 

Hugs to Rhonda and the boys 

 

[chef jimmyj]

While some manufacturers, Igloo, don't recommend putting hot liquid in coolers, they're more likely worried about some clown carrying a Cooler of Hot liquid and getting burned... I don't believe anyone would make this convenient technique their, every day for the next 40 years, exclusive method of cooking Corn...Great Idea Todd. Try 1C Salt and 1C Sugar in your cooking water. The tiny bit of kernal toughening is far out weighed by the Flavor of the Brine Cooked Corn. Add some Butter and you are eatin' big...JJ

BTW...If you house is less than 35 years old, your drinking water has been flowing through some type of Plastic Pipe...Does that make you nervous?

 

[pinksalt]

If you don't need that much you can cut in half and put in the crock pot. 

 

[gofish]

I'm hesitant of PLASTICS and their harmful effects...I would not do this cooler corn in a plastic cooler. I do not boil food in a plastic bag, nor microwave food or drink in plastic...For me, there are just too many risks associated with it. GLASS is best...My grandmother lived to a healthy 94 years old, bless her soul. She drank from glass, ate from glass, cooked in cast iron, ate 3 squares a day, including, coffee, eggs, bacon, vegetables, standard southern cooking in modest amounts. Read about the harmful effects in plastics if you're interested...

I just read one of your last post on the sell by topic:  "Even if has a week or two left on the "sell-by" date, JUST SMELL IT...To heck with what somebody else tells you.  Like Bob Dylan says, "You don't need a weatherman to tell you which way the winds blow."

So I got a little confused ... when do you justify what "somebody else tells you"?  Now you are telling us to do some research and listen to something that something somebody is telling us?  

I love the grandmother analogy, I am sure our long lived grandparents went through many other issues such as DDT, Asbestos, (i'll stop) ... etc, and still lived long happy lives.  Please forgive me but drinking from glass an eating from cast iron can't be the only two variables in life.  

How do we know Dylan is not calling amateurs like us the weatherman?  

The process in the original post fits the intended usage of an option for cooking when the grill is full.  Your statement seems to be a personal preference that sounds a bit like a vegetarian type rant.  Do we smoke?  Do we drink? Do we use a microwave oven?  Do we eat too much red meat?   There are arguments for and against everything that is done here.  Just sayin' ...  We post the way we cook our food here.    

I appreciate the original post and am thankful for him sharing the experience.  

 

[southernsausage]

Hey Randy...Thanks for straightening me out! I guess it did sound a little "Rant-ish"...Hope all is and stays well...