Y’all, I just love fried corn. Like, love it. For those of you not too familiar with Southern fried corn, it’s not a big ol’ ear of corn deep fried – though I have seen that. I guess you’d liken it to something more like creamed corn, though I’m not sure that’s even a good comparison. Quite literally, it’s fresh corn, cut off the cob and fried in butter and bacon grease in a cast iron skillet.

It’s one of my absolute favorite vegetable sides and I look forward to early summer and the first crops of corn each year so I can have some. I could literally hurt myself eating the stuff.

There are a few tips and tricks you’ll need to know to make authentic Southern fried corn, though. Most of them really boil down to prep. You can’t just cut it off the cob and throw it in a skillet. There’s a little more involved, but I promise it’s not too hard.

Once you cut the corn off the cob, it’ll look like this. (Southern Bite)

Once you scrape all that “goody” out, it’ll look like this. (Southern Bite)

Spending an hour on this recipe will be well worth it. (Southern Bite)

One of the biggest issues with using fresh corn is all that shucking and removing the silks. Ugh. But I use this super easy microwave method where you cut off the stem end of the corn and microwave it for a couple minutes, then shake the perfectly clean corn out of the husks and silks. Get all the details here. It’s not always foolproof, but it will certainly get you way ahead of the game.

The biggest secret/tip I can pass along is you have to scrape the cobs. Yep, after you cut the corn off the cob, turn your knife over and scrape the remaining parts of the kernels out. All that extra starch (sometimes called milk) will help to thicken the dish and give it some great flavor and texture.

The other thing to keep in mind is that while bacon grease is optional and you can choose to use all butter, the bacon grease adds a perfect savory flavor and smokiness that I think is the key to perfect fried corn.

To make this dish even creamier, add a few splashes of heavy cream right at the end. (Southern Bite)

Southern Fried Corn

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 8 to 10 ears of fresh corn (I prefer the Silver Queen variety)
• 2 tablespoons of bacon grease (not necessary but sure makes a big difference)
• 4 tablespoons of butter, divided (or 6 if you’re not using bacon grease)
• Salt & pepper

 Instructions

1. With your corn shucked and cleaned, place it standing up in a large bowl or pan in your sink. (Cutting corn off the cob is quite a task and a messy one at that. I think it’s best to do it in the sink. You’ll thank me later when it’s time to clean up.) Run a sharp knife down the cob, cutting the kernels off.
2. Next, we’re going to scrape all the starch and “goody” out of the remaining kernels. This is what gives fried corn its unique texture and flavor. Simply turn the back of your knife nearly perpendicular to the cob and scrape down the sides.
3. Heat a skillet (preferably cast iron – I always use my great-grandmother’s, one of my most prized possessions – it’s second to be grabbed in case of a fire after my kid) over medium heat. Add bacon grease and 2 tablespoons of butter (or 4 tablespoons of butter if you’re not using the bacon grease – but you should use the bacon grease). Once melted, add corn. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir frequently, cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it’s cooked to your liking. Immediately before removing from heat, add remaining butter and stir until melted.

This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out ”The Southern Bite Cookbook.”