How To Make Southern Fried Corn: A Delicious Comfort Food
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Looking for a delicious side dish? Look no further than this easy and tasty fried corn recipe. Made with simple ingredients, it’s the perfect addition to any meal.
What is southern fried corn?
Southern fried corn is a dish made by cutting fresh corn kernels from the cob, and then frying them in butter, lard or bacon fat until they are tender and slightly caramelized. It’s a popular Southern side dish often seasoned with salt, pepper, sugar for the natural sweetness of the corn, and then a variety of optional ingredients depending on your tastes. Some of these options include jalapenos, paprika, green onions, chives, fresh herbs or hot sauce.
What is fried corn made of?
Fried corn is a simple recipe using fresh corn kernels straight off the cob, a fat such as lard, butter or bacon grease, salt, pepper and sugar.
- Butter
- Fresh Corn (ears of corn/ corn on the cob)
- Salt
- Sugar
How to Make Fried Corn
Step by Step Instructions
- Using a sharp knife or an electric knife, cut the corn kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Scalp only the top portion of the kernels first; then, scrape the rest of the kernel and juices off the cob with the back of the knife. (If using an electric knife, this will only be one step.)
- Place butter in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat until melted.
- Add fresh corn kernels and juices, salt and sugar to the corn.
- Fry over low to medium heat, stirring often until the corn becomes somewhat thick.
- Remove from heat, and serve hot.
Storage Instructions
Let leftovers cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For the full recipe steps and ingredient amounts for southern fried corn, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Can cooked corn be frozen?
Yes, cooked corn such as this fried corn recipe is a great option to freeze for later. For the best results, let it cool before packing it into airtight containers or freezer bags.
Freezer Corn Recipe
My favorite week of the year is when our sweet corn is ready. My Dad and Hubs plant a few rows on the edge of one of our fields for “the family”. It sounds like we are part of the mafia, but in reality we are just a typical farm family.
The “family” shares freezer beef and pork, garden produce, sweet corn and all sorts of other foods. There’s typically enough corn on the cob to freeze for the winter months.
I have a love hate relationship with freezer corn. I absolutely love it and appreciate it as I’m feeding it to my family all year long, but I kinda really hate the process of freezing it.
While I usually just shuck, clean, and boil the corn on the cob before cutting off the kernels for freezing, this southern fried corn recipe is another great option to fill up that freezer space for winter.
Want another option to freeze your sweet corn? Check out Leah’s method that doesn’t use blanching.
Recipe FAQs
- Use fresh sweet corn for the best tasting dish.
- A cast iron skillet also works great for this recipe.
- Be sure to remove as many of the silks while shucking the corn as possible.
- This is a great recipe to use for freezer corn. Follow the recipe instructions, and then let cool before transferring to freezer bags or freezer-safe storage containers.
Recipe Variations
- Use honey, maple syrup, sugar substitutes or date syrup instead of granulated sugar, if desired.
- Add a healthy dose of fresh cracked black pepper.
- For heat, add red pepper flakes, hot sauce, fresh jalapenos, or a drizzle of chili oil.
- Fresh herb such as dill, basil or parsley make a flavorful garnish.
- Add diced onions or garlic to the frying pans, or garnish with green peppers.
- For the most flavor, use bacon grease or bacon drippings instead of butter. This is the Southern way to make fried corn.
- For extra decadence, add a splash of cream right before serving.
More Sweet Corn Recipes
We love using our frozen sweet corn all year round. Here are some of our favorite recipes featuring corn.
- Asparagus and Corn Salad
- Cheesy Corn in Crock Pot
- Corn Succotash
- Sweet Cornbread
- Corn and Cheese Chowder
Garden Side Dish Recipes
Kitchen Utensils
How To Make Southern Fried Corn: A Delicious Comfort Food
Ingredients
- 8 ears Fresh Sweet Corn ears of corn/ corn on the cob
- 1/3 cup Butter
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife or an electric knife, cut the corn kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Scalp only the top portion of the kernels first; then, scrape the rest of the kernel and juices off the cob with the back of your knife. (If using an electric knife, this will only be one step.)
- Place butter in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat until melted.
- Add fresh corn kernels and juices, salt and sugar to the corn.
- Fry over low to medium heat, stirring often until the corn becomes somewhat thick.
- Remove from heat, and serve hot.
Notes
-
- Use fresh sweet corn for the best tasting dish.
- A cast iron skillet also works great for this recipe.
- Be sure to remove as many of the silks while shucking the corn as possible.
- This is a great recipe to use for freezer corn. Follow the recipe instructions, and then let cool before transferring to freezer bags or freezer-safe storage containers.
- Serve this along side of Old Fashioned Salmon Patties.Â
- The nutritional information is auto-calculated and can vary depending on the products used.
Nutrition
