Ingredients:

  • 8 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Remove the husks and all silk threads from the corn. Rinse the ears under cold water to ensure no debris remains. If the ears are too long for your pot, snap them in half across the cob.
  2. Fill a large stockpot with the water, milk, and 4 tbsp of unsalted butter. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. If using sugar, stir it in until fully dissolved.
  3. Carefully lower the corn into the boiling liquid using tongs. Once the water returns to a boil, set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes (3 minutes for a crisp bite, 5 minutes for a softer kernel).
  4. Remove the corn immediately with tongs and place them on a platter. While steaming hot, rub the softened salted butter over the kernels and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper.