You’re probably thinking, “Great, but how many minutes exactly?” Alright, here’s the cheat sheet. For fresh, sweet summer corn, 3 to 5 minutes after the water returns to a boil is plenty. Yes, I said 3 to 5 minutes—not 15, not 20. Old cookbooks lie; they’re mean. Corn these days is sweeter and more tender, so it cooks faster. If your corn is a few days old, go for 6 to 8 minutes max. But honestly, fresh corn almost tastes better raw—so don’t drown it.
One more thing: Never start your timer until the water is at a full, rolling boil. Dropping cold corn into hot water halts the boil, so wait for it to come back to life. And please, don’t add salt to the water—it can toughen the kernels. Salt your butter later, not the bathwater.
