101 things to do with Soak | 017 Soaking corn for the BBQ

Posted: 01/06/2010 | Author: soak | Filed under: Food, Uses for Soak | Tags: 101, phil, Soak corn, soakwash, summer |1 Comment

Author: Ngoc

I don’t think there’s a single person who doesn’t enjoy a backyard barbeque. With temperatures averaging about 25 degrees last weekend in Toronto, having a barbeque seemed like the only reasonable option for dinner.

During the summers while I was in university, my friends and I would live on barbequed food. We’d switch between chicken and beef depending on what was on sale at the market, but the one constant was the corn. We learned that soaking your corn in water for at least 30 mins prior to throwing them on the grill helped keep the corn moist and help prevent the kernals from burning.

Peel back most of the excess husk (leave on at least 2 layers) and silk. Instead of filling up the kitchen sink to soak my corn, I pulled out my handy Phil.

Benefits of using Phil:

Left the sink free to wash other vegetables.
Was able to soak 10 cobs at once.
Could be kept outside near the BBQ which made it easy to throw the cobs on as soon as the meat was finished cooking.
I didn’t have to carry the soaking wet corn from my sink to my backyard. This means no water dripping around the house.
After soaking, the water can be used to water your plants instead of just going down the drain.

Once on the grill, the husk will darken and burn. Don’t worry, since you soaked the corn, the kernels inside should be steaming without burning. Turn the cobs periodically for even cooking. Once cooked, remove from the grill and let sit for 10 mins before peeling back the husk and silk. I know it’s hard to wait but the corn will be very hot right off the BBQ. I like to twist the husk into a nice handle to avoid holding on to the steaming hot cob. Now dress with your favourite toppings and enjoy!