Recent trip to the grocery store got me wondering, who here shucks corn while in the grocery store? I grew up in the panhandle and never once saw someone shucking corn at the store before buying. Closest HEB to my house (Houston) has a trash can sitting next to the corn, and based on the number of shucks in there, a sizeable portion of the population thinks that you should shuck before you buy. Is this a regional/cultural thing?

I've seen it too. I assume it's akin to squeezing fruit for ripeness, but checking for mold or insects instead. Except it ruins shelf life and if the cob isn't deemed worthy for whatever reason it's ruined for the next shopper. It's bad etiquette.

Plus, I can count on one hand how many times I've brought fresh corn home and it was moldy or had insects. With today's genetically modified corn (such as BT corn) and handling practices it's simply not necessary to shuck in store. Especially at 25 cents per ear.

This is very common place in New England. So much so that there is always a trash can by the corn for the shuckings to go in.

every Hispanic/Latino focused grocery store has had this. I suppose if you are using the corn soon it doesn't really matter.

Commonplace in Colorado. I don't shuck them in the store unless I'm using the corn right away that day in a salad or cream corn.

350 oven, 30 minutes, non shucked.
Perfect everytime.

Will never shuck in public

Ill shuck if there's a trash can. That hair seems to get everywhere when I shuck at home.

I do it at my HEB

fav13andac1)c said:

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I've seen it too. I assume it's akin to squeezing fruit for ripeness, but checking for mold or insects instead. Except it ruins shelf life and if the cob isn't deemed worthy for whatever reason it's ruined for the next shopper. It's bad etiquette.

Plus, I can count on one hand how many times I've brought fresh corn home and it was moldy or had insects. With today's genetically modified corn (such as BT corn) and handling practices it's simply not necessary to shuck in store. Especially at 25 cents per ear.

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I've never done this or noticed it, but if the grocery store is putting a trash can right there for this purpose it's hard to say it's bad etiquette....they're seemingly encouraging it.

I always thought was because you paid by the pound lol No reason to pay for shuck. Shows you how much corn I buy at H-E-B Maybe you pay by the ear instead, then yeah cut down on the mess at home

Mathguy64 said:

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I don't shuck it but I do peel back the top to expose the tip of the corn. I want to see if there is any evidence there of a worm or if those top kernels are healthy.

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Exactly.

What surprises me is to see people grab a few ears of corn without inspecting any of them.

fav13andac1)c said:

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I've seen it too. I assume it's akin to squeezing fruit for ripeness, but checking for mold or insects instead. Except it ruins shelf life and if the cob isn't deemed worthy for whatever reason it's ruined for the next shopper. It's bad etiquette.

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maybe I'm thinking about this differently, but isn't that good for the next shopper (specifically, the one who doesn't check)? Because now they can't/won't pick that bad one?


I cook my corn in the cob on the grill, so I'd never do this, though if there were scissors nearby, I would possibly cut off all the thread/hair looking stuff. Ain't nobody got time fo dat.

Also, I'm pretty much only buying cobs when they are like 4/$1, so I couldn't care less if one or two were bad.

Goodest Poster said:

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350 oven, 30 minutes, non shucked.
Perfect everytime.

Will never shuck in public

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Partially shuck and then microwave for 4 minutes an ear.

Based on thread title, had no clue what this would be about.

And no, I have never seen this.

Rockport HEB and me, I shucks ever time!

Wait to shuck until I get home.

Common for Hispanics and especially Asians.

Checking for corn worms or bad kernels. At $1 to $2 a Cob, I prefer to do it at home.