The Cooking Method That Makes Corn Taste Even Sweeter, Fresh Or Frozen

There are plenty of theories floating around about how to get the sweetest tasting corn, from buying it freshly harvested to adding a bit of sugar to the water while it boils. While it's true that you can follow the silk test to pick out the freshest corn and that certain varieties of corn are naturally sweeter than others, such as Golden Bantam and Nirvana, the secret to cooking super sweet corn is actually a much more scientific one: Frying up your corn in a cast iron pan takes advantage of a chemical reaction known as the Maillard effect to get corn that is not only sweet and delicious, but eye catching as well.

Frying corn works with both fresh and frozen and pairs well with flavor-boosting ingredients such as onion, butter, and bacon fat. It's not only easy to do but the flavor is so versatile that it pairs with just about any main dish. To make it even more appealing, you can add just about anything you want, including meat, bell peppers, or tomatoes, to deepen the flavor profile and give your side dish a personal touch.

A Maillard reaction, more simply known as browning, occurs when amino acids and sugars are introduced to high heat. It's slightly different from caramelization, a process in which sugar oxidizes to create a brown color and release the sweetness within the food as it cooks. The Maillard reaction is responsible for creating new flavors and aromas, not to mention the beautiful brown color we associated with deliciously mouth-watering food. Using a cast iron pan to fry your corn is a great way to achieve this effect because once the pan reaches the desired temperature (and you keep it on a steady heat source), the metal does a great job of evenly maintaining the heat. 

Cast iron is one of the most versatile cooking methods in a home cook's arsenal. It creates expertly reheated mac 'n cheese, you can stick it in the oven for a light and fluffy cornbread, and, of course, use it to fry up the most beautiful browned sweet corn imaginable thanks to Mother Nature and the Maillard reaction.