How Long to Boil Corn on the Cob Halves?

Corn on the cob is makes a tasty side dish for many meals! I especially enjoy my corn on the cob in the summer during our annual cookouts. But corn is also a great dish for our family dinners. And it’s so easy to cook, believe it or not. To avoid waste and shorten cook time, I will cut my corn on the cob in half. My children certainly thank me for that, they will never eat a whole one! Boiling corn on the cob halves is an easy process and you may find it works better for you too! In this post, I’ll outline the cooking times I use to get the perfect corn on the cob every time.

Read on if you’d like to learn my process for your next gathering or just want to enjoy a family dinner.

How Long Should You Boil Corn on the Cob Halves?

Boiling corn on the cob halves doesn’t take that long at all! Often, I find that actually boiling the water takes longer than it does for the corn itself to boil! But it does depend on a few things.

Are you boiling fresh corn? If so, plan for 4 to 6 minutes. I prefer to boil in batches of no more than 4 corn on the cob halves at a time to allow thorough cooking.

When I’m boiling frozen corn on the cob, I add a couple more minutes. The corn has to thaw in the water and then cook, so I go for 5 to 8 minutes.

Here’s an important note. The longer you boil, the more tender the corn is. If you like crunchier corn, use the minimum time listed!

Step by Step Guide on Boiling Corn on the Cob Halves

Here is a step-by-step guide on how I boil corn on the cob halves and I’m ready to share it with you!

Step 1: Remove the silk and husk from the corn if needed

Depending on how you bought your corn, it might still have the silk and husk intact. Sometimes when grocery shopping, I will buy it already removed. But if you didn’t, no worries! Simply peel the silk and the husk off so you see the yellow seeds of the corn.

Step 2: Cut the corn on the cob in half

Now use a knife to cut the corn in half. Be careful though! I have cut myself because I wasn’t paying attention.

Step 3: Optional, thoroughly wash the corn on the cob halves

I like to wash my corn before boiling by taking a damp towel and removing any dirt. If you buy the corn without the silk or husk, you can choose to skip this step. But it will also remove any pesticides, so I always opt for it!

Step 4: Bring a large pot of water to a boil

For every corn on the cob half, you’ll need about 1/2 a quart of water. Make sure you have a large enough pot for this! Place the pot on the stove, add the water and a dash of salt and let the water come to a boil.

Step 5: Add the corn to the boiling water

Once you add the corn to the boiling water, it doesn’t take long at all. For fresh corn, boil for 4 to 6 minutes. If the corn is frozen, I aim for 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 6: Remove from water

I remove the corn from the water after they are ready. At most, I’ll leave the corn in for a couple minutes, turning the stove off and removing from the heat. However, I have found it’s best to place in a bowl and cover with foil to keep them hot. This prevents the corn from becoming to mushy!

Step 7: Enjoy

Now it’s time to eat them! I like rubbing butter on my corn and adding a little bit of salt for extra taste.

Tips for Boiling Corn on the Cob Halves

Here are some my best tips for the best tasting corn on the cob!

1. If you like your corn on the cob more tender, boil a little longer. My family prefers tender corn, so I boil corn on the cob halves for around 6 minutes when fresh and check them then. I allow myself some more cooking time if necessary, in 30 second increments.
2. If you like your corn on the cob a little more crunchy, use the minimum time listed. Aim for 4 minutes of boil time for fresh corn and 5 to 6 minutes for frozen corn.
3. Don’t leave the corn in the water after boiling. It will continue to cook. I made this mistake once and ended up with mushy corn! No one liked it!
4. Plan accordingly with the rest of the meal. I like my corn to be ready when the rest of the meal is, so it stays hot! I plan to start my corn when I have about 20 minutes left on the rest of the meal. This includes allowing the water to boil, cooking time, and any prep work I need to do. The corn typically doesn’t take as long as the other food. And I like my corn to come out hot and fresh, ready to eat.

The corn on the cob halves are ready to eat, now what?

After the corn on the cob has boiled, I find myself a large boil and line it with aluminum foil. Place the boiled corn on the foil and cover with the rest of the foil. This will keep it hot, especially if you are boiling in batches before you’re ready to eat.

It’s that easy!

Wrapping Up

I hope you have enjoyed learning about my corn on cob halves boiling information as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Remember, it’s not a difficult process. You can easily have great tasting corn at any meal when boiled at the appropriate times I have listed.

Let me know in the comments how this worked for you!