There seems to be no good way to get corn kernels off the cob. Most “hacks” involve precariously balancing an ear of corn in a bowl, slicing them off, and hoping you don’t slip and slice a finger along the way. Sometimes the bowl catches every last kernel, but more often than not, you get to chase down all the ones that didn’t make it—if you’re not already on your way to the emergency room.
One solution to this problem is fully committing to the corn on the cob lifestyle, but that would mean abandoning wonderful things like corn fritters, fresh corn chowder, and succotash, which are at their best for just a few short weeks every year. For those times when you truly need to separate kernel from cob, let Ina Garten show you how it’s done:
Instead of a bowl, she uses a sheet pan lined with a clean towel to catch the falling kernels. The sheet pan provides a wider landing zone than any bowl; the towel keeps the kernels from bouncing all over creation, stabilizes the cob for safer slicing, AND makes it super easy to transfer the corn to a bowl or pot. It’s the perfect solution to a very specific—and very annoying—problem, allowing you to get out there and make the most of corn season while you still can.