Fried Corn
With just a few simple ingredients and a few minutes, you can have the most delicious southern Fried Corn that is the perfect side dish for just about any meal!
A FAVORITE SOUTHERN SIDE DISH
I grew up on fried corn. It was one side dish that my Mom made that we all loved. We disagreed on a lot of other food but we all loved this fried corn! It’s a classic dish that has been around for generations and there are a few different ways to make it. Some folks add onion, some folks add bacon and some add both. People have gotten pretty creative with this dish over the years but I prefer the simple original. I’ll show you how to add in those other ingredients and how much if that is your preference. And although this recipe sounds simple, it really is so good!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Cook the corn until it is warmed through and starts to cook down. How brown to make it is going to be your personal preference. So it’s up to you whether you want to cook it a bit longer until it reaches that stage. I like it lightly brown and where the corn still has a bit of crunch but some folks like it really charred and super soft. Just keep an eye on the heat. You don’t want it to get super brown but it’s not quite warmed through yet.
To liven things up and add some heat, try adding a dash of cayenne, chipotle powder, or hot sauce to give it that perfect kick.
Add a cup of diced onions to a little bit of melted butter in the skillet. Cook until they are soft and translucent (which can take between 8-10 minutes). Once done, continue with the recipe as written.
If you also want to add some bacon, throw in about 1/2 pound of cooked and chopped bacon right at the end when your corn is almost done. It will warm back up (but you still want it to stay crispy). Also, consider saving the bacon grease from when you cooked the bacon to use instead of all butter to cook the corn. This will also add amazing flavor.
You will only get the very best tasting dish when you use fresh corn. Promise me, it really makes all the difference. I don’t think you’ll be as impressed with this if you use frozen or canned corn. If you absolutely insist though, it can be used. If using canned corn, it needs to be really well drained and if using frozen, allow it to thaw and pat it dry with paper towels so it doesn’t add a bunch of water to the pan as it cooks or it will be hard to brown. You’ll need roughly 7 ½ cups.
Leftover fried corn should be placed in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm it in a skillet or microwave until it reaches your desired temperature.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- fresh corn – as I said above, fresh corn is the best. This dish is one of those side dishes southern folks have always made when the corn is in season so that will always be the best time to make this.
- salted butter – it needs to be real butter y’all – not margarine. The milk solids in the butter is what helps it get brown.
- bacon grease – if you don’t want to have bacon grease, you can use all butter instead. I always have a can of leftover bacon grease though since I make a lot of bacon.
- kosher salt and black pepper – these are simple seasonings but they make all the difference. It’s really important you properly season your corn. But I suggest you do it to taste as everyone has a different idea on how much salt is enough. I give measurements below but use what you want.
HOW TO MAKE FRIED CORN
Shuck corn and cut the corn off the cob. Melt the butter and bacon grease in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Add the corn, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is cooked through and begins to brown about 8-10 minutes; scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Fried Corn
Ingredients
- 10 ears of corn
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 2 Tablespoons bacon grease
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Shuck corn and cut the corn off the cob.
- Melt the butter and bacon grease in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the corn, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is cooked through and begins to brown about 8-10 minutes; scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; serve immediately.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- The corn is done when it is warmed through and begins to cook down a bit, the browning is a personal preference so any additional cooking up to that stage is up to you.
- Feel free to garnish with crispy chopped bacon if desired.
- Add a cup of onion if desired, add to the melted butter first and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes, then proceed with the recipe as written.
- Reheating back in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, freeze for up to 3 months.
- This is best with bacon grease (isn’t everything! ha) but if you don’t have bacon grease, just use all butter.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
We love fried corn! I make mine with butter, season salt and pepper. I think bacon grease sounds good too!
this is the exact recipe my grandmother used to make fried corn.