We’re definitely a corn family- big time. Even though it is just the two of us at home we tend to buy corn in bulk during the summer. We sit down together & shuck for what feels like ages & every time it is worth it. We have a deep freezer I keep stocked with it & it seems like we never grow tired of it. This corn “butter” is something I tried recently that Ryan & I both really liked so I thought I’d share it with you today!
I feel bad because I know I found a recipe for this quite awhile ago but now it appears to be gone! The pin (I’m a Pinterest addict- follow me here!) is gone so I can’t credit the original author which makes me feel awful. I did some research & it popped up in a few threads that the site has since been deleted so shucks! Lucky for you this recipe is crazy simple- even so simple that I can leave the recipe below for you!
- 4 ears of corn, fresh
- Shuck the ears of corn & remove any bad areas. Cut corn off the cob as close as possible. Don't worry about rough areas making it into the batch.
- Combine the corn in a food processor on high. Add a small amount of water to get the corn the grind up if needed.
- Place the ground fresh corn into a clean flour sack towel or cheesecloth then into a mesh strainer. Place the strainer over a large bowl & begin working the corn (I use a wooden spoon) so that all of the excess liquid ends up in the bowl. When you feel like the corn has dried out most of the way, take the cloth & wring the corn. You want as much moisture in the bowl as possible.
- Discard corn pieces or set aside for stock recipes.
- Place all of the corn liquid into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir or whisk consistently so the mixture doesn't burn with the extra sugars.
- Stir until thickened & transfer to a food safe container. Can be served hot or cold.
I thicken my my Corn Butter until is is kind of a pudding consistency. As it cools down it actually thickens up more as well! The natural starch in the corn juice is what thickens is & you will be left with something measurably sweeter than you likely expected! I don’t personally add anything to mine because I tend to use it as an additive but there are tons of ways to use it!
So how do you use corn “butter” in your house? Well here you can see a common way we use it- kind of like a sauce I suppose? I love pairing it with cheesy grits because it adds an awesome sweetness. Combine that with the smokiness & heat of some charred sausages & this is a meal Ryan scarfs down. & a cheese crisp because I’m fancy. How else can you use it? The sky is the limit! Use it as a vegan & gluten-free substitute for sweet butter, add in some cinnamon & pie seasonings for a sweet topping, or even amp it up with some jalapenos for the perfect hot & sweet punch! Some people have even said they use it as an ice cream or drink mixing base!
Have you ever tried corn butter before? What recipes do you add your extra corn to? Any summer recipes I absolutely need to check out ASAP?
