Introducing my Best Southern Fried Corn with Bacon Recipe. It epitomizes a classic Southern side dish cooked to perfection in a trusty cast iron skillet.
Add the bacon slices to a cold 10-inch, cast-iron skillet over medium low heat and cook for about five minutes or until the fat starts rendering out of the bacon.
TTurn the heat up to medium high and cook, frequently turning, for another four to five minutes or until the bacon is browned and crispy. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels. Set aside. Leave the bacon dripping in the skillet.
While the bacon is cooking, cut the kernels off of the corn cobs. Grab a deep bowl and a sharp knife. Hold each ear up with the bottom of the cob touching the bottom of the bowl and slice the kernels off. You may have to go around several times to get all of the kernels.
Then, take the back of the knife and scrape the cob to get all that milky goodness. Don't skip this step.
Add the butter to the skillet, and when it is melted, add the kernels. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir and cook it for anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. (The amount of time it will take to cook depends on how fresh the corn is; if it's just picked, it barely needs any cooking, and if it's older, it will take longer.) It's important to start tasting for tenderness at about the 7-minute mark.
Remove it from the heat, top with crumbled bacon, and serve immediately.
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Notes
Start with fresh sweet corn for the best flavor and texture. Look for corn that has bright green husks and plump kernels.
Make sure your skillet is properly preheated before adding the corn. This helps to ensure even cooking and prevents sticking.
When cutting the kernels off the cob, try to cut as close to the cob as possible without cutting into the cob itself. This helps to extract as much flavor as possible.