making corn ribs

zaphod

Only a few months from corn up around here and I think that corn rubs will be happening. Leaving aside the "i would kill something for them" vs "how can you make ribs without killing something" argument, i've been thinking about the actual cutting of them.

In case you don't know, corn ribs are made from cobs of corn that are cut into four, lengthwise. 

There are an equal if not more videos out there on how to cut them as there are how to cook them.  Cutting them seems to be the single hardest part of making them.  The accepted approach seems to be to boil the corn for 5 minutes to soften the cob in the centre. Seems silly to me as I prefer to cook my corn less than 5 minutes in the first place.  So why would I put them on the grill if they are already overcooked? 

Commercial cutters make the job easy, but they are huge, cost thousands of dollars and make more "ribs" than anyone could eat in a summer. They are designed for commercial settings that supply many restaurants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuEL5TPoHqI

this one does only two at a time, but still - way more machine than anyone outside of commercial would need

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-_UPJUT2tu/?hl=en

So I got to thinking. I want a 4 way blade that I can push over the cob, or push the cob through. one drink  thought led to another and I started looking at manual kindling cutters. These are designed to split a small log or a larger presplit log into small pieces.



replace the stick with a cob and I think I may have a winner.  

MaskedMarvel

I’ve been searching for something for this. Here’s what I’ve come up with, so far:

https://www.vevor.com/lemon-wedge-slicer-c_10650/lime-slicer-wedger-cutter-4-section-fruit-vegetable-lemon-slicer-food-chopper-p_010149775639

They make a levered version that has a few more sections than the four way. It’s on Amazon. But, you can use it for fries, etc…

https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Commercial-Chopper-Replacement-Restaurants/dp/B0963PZB9L/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1PTYLKW9VHZL0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.K4hqY1VAfGJnmIHcojZS297hpKLhrfb0noDdHjyT3nF_FLA7jIDh4DXfhkP9srv-KbKYAkI-aippTnqFESwRFi1RMNn8zxOzBtPOERoF94WCAoLmqFfW3_y0Y5CLeBIkakHa_qTa58nUReo5ZYMF6CRpiOn-ZLTe9WsXfuEeu8RLcNdncTg-3VMos7ROlTreB9e8LTqyJKm576yltz0bUw.H7o9wqAf3MQbxOXkRRblMa18uQ6dFOmBjNnNA5uZUZI&dib_tag=se&keywords=vevor+fruit+slicer&qid=1771176781&sprefix=vevor+fruit+slice%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-3

zaphod

oh I like it. I looked hard for something like this, but only saw it in the commercial "let's do 100/minute" models.  I have a Mango slicer that is not shaped right (at all) did not see this lemon slicer in my searching.

thank you!

paqman

Just a regular chef knife works well IMHO.  Start by slicing the corn in half and then split each half in quarters for a total of 8 ribs per corn cob.

FrostyEgg

Do you eat the entire thing then? Or still just eat the corn off the cob? If the latter, what's the benefit of the added work?

zaphod

you eat it kind of like a rib, leaving the cob behind.  lots of spices/sauce/seasoning. maybe it's just the novelty, but they are darn good.