How to Make the Best Seasoned Corn on the Cob
This seasoned corn on the cob combines sweet corn, salted pigtail, coconut milk, chadon beni, garlic, thyme, parsley, and pimento peppers for a fragrant Caribbean-inspired corn recipe. This full-size batch makes five ears of seasoned corn.
Ingredients
- 1 lb salted pigtail pre-cooked
- 1 lime or lemon
- 5 sweet corn
- 3 pimento peppers aka seasoning peppers
- 6-10 chadon beni leaves chopped
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 8-12 sprigs thyme
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1 dried coconut or 1 can coconut milk
- 5 cups water divided
Instructions
- Cut the pieces of salted pigtail into 1-inch pieces, wash with the juice of a lemon or lime, rinse, then place in a deep pot covered with water and simmer for at least 1 hour. This step will tenderize it, plus remove most of the salty brine it was cured in. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
- In a pot, add the corn, pimento peppers, chadon beni, also known as bandanya or culantro, garlic, thyme, and parsley.
- You will need to watch the video below, where I go through the steps in making fresh coconut milk. With a dried coconut, make sure that when you shake it, you can hear liquid swishing around. Crack the hard shell with the back of a large chef's knife or hammer. Then, using a paring knife, place the blade between the shell and coconut flesh and pry the flesh off. Be very careful. In the video, I suggested using a kitchen towel to help make this step safer. Chop the pieces of coconut into small pieces.
- In a blender, place the pieces of coconut flesh along with 2 cups of water and puree.
- Add this coconut milk, without straining, to the corn in the pot. Add about 3 cups more water so the corn is submerged.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the corn is fully cooked. With sweet corn, this happens quickly compared to the local corn we had and have in the Caribbean.
- Traditionally, mom and dad would use some of the corn husk to cover the pot, helping to add a bit more flavour and also keep the fragrance of the herbs, garlic, and pimento peppers in the pot as it simmers.
- The remnants of salt from the salted pigtail will be enough to season the corn accordingly. However, you can top it with sea salt if you want. No, there is no need for butter, as the richness of the coconut milk will coat the corn on the cob lovingly.
- If you enjoyed this seasoned corn on the cob, consider trying my Corn Souse, Curry Corn, Grilled Corn Salad, Caribbean Roasted (grilled) Corn, and the other fan fave, Charred Sweet Corn Porridge.
Video
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does salted pigtail work so well in seasoned corn? Salted pigtail adds both savoury flavour and salt to the cooking liquid. After it is simmered and most of the cured brine is removed, the remaining salt helps season the corn as it cooks. Can I use canned coconut milk for seasoned corn? Yes. The recipe allows for a can of coconut milk as an alternative to making fresh coconut milk from a dried coconut. Fresh coconut milk provides a particularly rich coconut flavour, but canned coconut milk is a convenient option. So does coconut milk powder, which must be dissolved in water. Are pimento peppers the same as Scotch bonnet peppers? No. Pimento peppers, also called seasoning peppers, are used primarily for their fragrant pepper aroma rather than intense heat. The original recipe specifically uses pimento peppers. Can I use regular corn instead of sweet corn? Yes, but the cooking time may differ. Sweet corn cooks quickly, while the local corn traditionally used in the Caribbean can take longer to become fully cooked. Do I need butter for seasoned corn on the cob? No. The coconut milk provides the richness needed to coat the corn, so butter is not necessary in this recipe. Also note that the coconut milk will give the corn an additional sweetness, so you may need to sprinkle a bit of salt as you take it out of the seasoned liquid. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!