• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Biscuits & Burlap logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Classic Southern Recipes

    Published: Jul 15, 2016 · Modified: Sep 16, 2021 by Pam

    Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

    Thanks for sharing!

    987 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe

    Old time creamed corn in its purest form needs just a little salt and butter. Learn how to make it the traditional southern way. You will never eat canned corn again.

    creamed corn made the old fashioned way by BiscuitsandBurlap.com

    I hesitate to call this a recipe.  It’s more of a tutorial, because the star ingredient is the fresh corn itself. Just a little salt and butter are added to taste, but you could actually make delicious southern style creamed corn with nothing but corn. If you’re looking for something with a little more bang, try our Blackened Corn.

    No flour, no milk or heavy cream, no corn starch out of a box or can. You are using corn starch in its purest form. Let us show you how.

    Who has an idea what this is?

    wooden & metal corn creamer

    These marvelous tools are called….. are you ready for this? Corn Creamers. I inherited one of mine and the other one I’ve had over 40 years. Where I am from in North Florida we used to buy them at the local hardware store. Maybe you still can, but I’ve found them on Amazon for you.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on an affiliate link and buy something, we may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra. Click here for our full privacy and disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

     This link takes you to a wooden corn creamer. I guess I’m an old-fashioned purist because I prefer my wooden one but if you like stainless steel you can order one here. 

    Hey, are you getting our weekly updates? You can sign up right here. You would want to miss anything!

    Shuck and Clean the Corn

    For true rookies, I want to go over briefly how to shuck corn.  You grab a bit of the corn silks (that hairy stuff) sticking out the top and the top of the husks next to it and pull down.

    partially shucked corn

    Keep moving around the ear of corn until you’ve pulled all the husks down and as much of the silks as possible.  Then grab that whole wad of husks and silks and break off the bottom.

    hand holding ear of corn

    Go back and pull off remaining silks.  You will need to wash the corn and brush between the kernels for stubborn silks that are hiding from you, but it’s easiest to get as many off as possible while the corn is still dry.

    Cream the Corn

    Now, comes the fun part. Prop the creamer in a large container. You start running the ear of corn down the creamer.  Keep going over it until no juice comes off the cob.

    creamed corn being made

    That last bit of milky goodness is what thickens your corn, naturally.  You have to put a decent amount of pressure on the ear of corn to get it all.

    This is a pretty messy job.  The corn splatters as you’re creaming it.  If at all possible, wear an apron and work on the porch.  And, you want a glass of sweet tea close by. This process is a labor of love, but it is SO worth it.

    For a standard sized dutch oven and I creamed 10 ears of corn.  It made about 5 servings of old fashioned cream style corn, but that’s going to vary with the size of ears of corn.

    How to Cook the Creamed Corn

    In the raw state the liquid is very milky — opaque, in fact.  At this point you can freeze it in bags, and anytime you want that fresh, creamed-corn taste pull out a bag to thaw and cook. On the farm, bushels of corn are “put up” on the same day. It’s an all-hands-on-deck family affair.

    creamed corn overhead in blue pottery bowl

    For cooking, you can heat it up over medium heat, but once it’s good and hot, reduce to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan often to prevent sticking and scorching.  

    After it’s hot the corn will cook in 10-15 minutes.  The way you know it’s done is when the liquid thickens and becomes more translucent. I add about a teaspoon of salt for every 10 ears of corn, and at the end stir in a tablespoon of butter.

    The real old fashioned southern way to season creamed corn is with bacon grease instead of butter.

    horizontal shot of corn

    You can use sweet corn (like silver queen) and it’s equally delicious, but sweet corn tends to not thicken as much. I would love to hear how it turns out when you try it, and don’t forget to get your corn creamers.

    creamed corn in blue pottery bowl with lid

    Order the Stainless Steel one here. and theWooden Corn Creamer here

    A web story on Old School Creamed Corn can be found here!

    FAQs about how to make creamed corn:

    How do you make creamed corn thicker without corn starch?

    The key is scraping the ear of corn very thoroughly. By doing so you are incorporating the natural corn starch and that will thicken your corn.

    Is sweet corn the same as creamed corn?

    No. Sweet corn is a type of corn (the kind with white kernels) and creamed corn is a method of preparation that we have detailed for you here.

    Can I make creamed corn without the creamer tool?

    Yes. Another method often used by southern cooks is this: Take a wide, sharp knife and cut the very tops off the corn kernels. After going all the way around the cob turn the knife over and use the dull side to scrape. The results are similar to what you will get with the corn creamer.

    Can I cook creamed corn ahead of time?

    Absolutely! Cook it up to 2 days in advance. Just refrigerate and then heat it up when ready to serve. If it’s too thick you may have to add a little water at the time as it heats.

    How long does fresh corn last in the fridge?

    Fresh corn should be stored unwashed and unpeeled in a sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. This will keep it fresh for 5-7 days.

    For a quick and fun look at this recipe be sure to check out the Google Web Story.

    For a look at all things Southern Food, you’ll want to check out this article. It’s about the history, the origins and a peek into what the future may hold for our favorite cuisine.

    📖 Recipe

    bowl of creamed corn.

    Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

    Pam
    4.85 from 20 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Servings 5 people
    Calories 176 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 ears corn
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 Tbsp. butter

    Instructions
     

    • Cream corn with corn creamer
    • Heat in saucepan over medium heat
    • Reduce heat to medium-low
    • Add salt
    • Cook, stirring constantly, being sure to scrape bottom for 10-15 minutes
    • Corn is done when thickened and translucent
    • Add butter and stir until melted

    Nutrition

    Calories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 428mgPotassium: 487mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 410IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you like this classic Southern recipe you’ll love these, too:

    overhead shot of ambrosia in bowl
    Ambrosia Salad
    slice of pie with bite on fork
    Classic Pecan Pie
    Buttermilk Pie
    Classic Buttermilk Pie
    Tomato Gravy over Biscuits is good old fashioned southern comfort food.
    Easy Tomato Gravy
    Gumbo with seafood, sausage and chicken from our family recipe.
    Gumbo
    Smoked Fish Dip can be made any type of smoked fish.
    Smoked Fish Dip
    Fried green tomatoes from biscuitsandburlap.com
    Fried Green Tomatoes
    barbecue pork on a charcoal grill from BiscuitsandBurlap.com
    Smoked Boston Butt
    Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese from BiscuitsandBurlap.com
    Classic Macaroni and Cheese

    Sign up now to make sure you don’t miss any of our recipes or projects.

    Categories: Classic Southern Recipes Tags: side dish

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Taylor Kiser says

      June 09, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      5 stars
      Great tutorial!! This creamed corn looks so delicious!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 10, 2020 at 3:18 pm

        Thanks, Taylor!

        Reply
    2. Luci says

      June 09, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      I love creamed corn! It’s a delicious dish and so easy to make! I will definitely be making this for our BBQ this week!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 10, 2020 at 3:18 pm

        Hope you love it like we do!

        Reply
    3. colleen says

      June 09, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks so much for sharing this. My only experience with creamed corn was from a can as a child and I hated it. This recipe looks delicious and I want to try asap.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 10, 2020 at 3:19 pm

        From a can is totally diffferent. You’re going to love the real thing!

        Reply
    4. Jackie Edwards says

      June 23, 2020 at 1:25 am

      5 stars
      We always grew sweet and field corn. My favorite is field corn, Golden Dent, to be exact! We have always frozen our creamed corn but I’m wondering if I could pressure can it. Any wisdom anyone can share?

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2020 at 5:11 pm

        Field corn is my favorite too. I’m not sure about the pressure cooking. Maybe another reader can help.

        Reply
    5. Ann says

      June 23, 2020 at 11:17 am

      I cooked some creamed field corn and it just doesn’t taste good to me. Don’t know what I did wrong. I used buttermilk like I do with my sweet corn, salt and butter. Cooked in the microwave for about 20 minutes. Help!!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2020 at 5:12 pm

        I’m not sure Ann. I have never heard of putting buttermilk in creamed corn. As you can see in our recipe we believe in keeping it simple and letting the corn stand pretty much on its own. Maybe you’d like to give our method a try.

        Reply
    6. Terry Faith says

      June 23, 2020 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      My grandma was a professional cook from South Georgia and her recipe was the same as yours. The exception was that she didn’t have a corn creamer tool. She would remove the kernels with a knife, then she would scrape the cob to get all the water and starch off the cob. She’d even wring that cob to get the starch. Thank you for posting your recipe! I make look for the corn creamer on Amazon.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 23, 2020 at 5:16 pm

        Yes, Terry, I’ve seen my Mama make it that way too. In fact, we just posted a corn photo on Instagram last week and mentioned how some people did it that way. Thank you for visiting!

        Reply
    7. Adrianne says

      May 19, 2021 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      There is so much detail here, it is great to read. I am a huge corn fan and this recipe is right up my alley. Can’t wait to give it a go.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 19, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        You’re going to love it!

        Reply
    8. Anjali says

      May 19, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a helpful guide to making creamed corn!! Love your tips about scraping the ear of corn to get natural corn starch too – that’s so cool! I can’t wait to try your recipe this week!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 19, 2021 at 5:42 pm

        Hope you enjoy. Thanks, Anjali!

        Reply
    9. Kay says

      May 19, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      5 stars
      I have got to get myself a corn creamer so I can try this recipe out. I’m from the UK so Never tried creamed corn before.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 19, 2021 at 5:42 pm

        We predict you’ll love it!

        Reply
    10. Sara Welch says

      May 19, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this for dinner yesterday and it does not disappoint! Your post was very informative and the recipe is not only delicious, but easy to follow to boot!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 19, 2021 at 5:42 pm

        Awww… thanks for letting us know, Sara!

        Reply
    11. Julia says

      May 20, 2021 at 1:13 pm

      5 stars
      Ohh gosh! My moms favorite thing in the world is corn! Can’t wait to make this for her this weekend!

      Reply
      • Pam says

        May 21, 2021 at 9:25 am

        She’ll love it!

        Reply
    12. Ivette says

      June 30, 2021 at 8:35 am

      Thank you showing real cream corn, not something with kernels in it. This dish is creamy and delicious. My husband is from North Florida and this is how his mother made it. Again thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        June 30, 2021 at 2:52 pm

        Awww…. thank you Ivette! We are from north Florida too, so I guess that explains our love of creamed corn!

        Reply
    13. ANNE B GLASS says

      November 13, 2021 at 1:02 pm

      5 stars
      Love creamed corn! wish I could find the field corn like we used to make when i lived on a farm. When we ‘put up” corn, we poked holes in the top of a mayonnaise jar lid with an ice pick and used that to scrape the corn. Just wish I could figure out how to make the non-field corn less sweet.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        November 14, 2021 at 11:36 am

        I’ve never heard of creaming corn that way but I can see where it would work. Thanks for taking the time to stop by with a star rating and comment. It means a lot to us!

        Reply
    14. Linda Martin says

      July 29, 2023 at 4:30 pm

      Field can is the best for cream corn, the mayo jar lid is how I cream my corn. Today the real field corn is hard to find.i cook my corn slow for 3 hours in butter sometimes bacon grease like my grandmother did. I would like to jar mine this year I can’t find anyone that knows how. Any advice. Thanks

      Reply
      • Pam says

        August 04, 2023 at 11:43 am

        Agree on field corn, Linda, but unless you know a farmer it is hard to find. We’ve always frozen our corn, and we don’t do waterbath canning, so I’m afraid we’d be no help with that. Good luck!

        Reply
    15. Kathy Moresi says

      July 30, 2023 at 5:53 pm

      Hi,
      This sounds exactly like what my mom would make growing up in South Georgia, except she put hers in the oven and baked it. I can’t remember how long she baked it or on what temperature. Would you have an idea?

      I know she would put the a slightly thawed container of the creamed corn she had put up from the freezer in the baking dish and put it in the oven. Once it had thawed and could be stirred, she’d add her butter, salt and pepper. Then stir all together and bake.

      I guess I’ll just have to experiment. But if you’d know anything about this method, I’d love to hear from you.

      Reply
      • Pam says

        August 04, 2023 at 11:44 am

        We wish we could help, but we have always cooked ours on the stove top.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Tell us what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, y'all!

    Pam and Sara sitting on blanket with picnic.
    Photo cred: Angie Webb Creative

    We’re Pam and Sara, a Southern mother/daughter team on a mission. We’re here to help you keep those precious food memories alive and create new ones, too. 

    Read more-

    Recent Posts

    • steak omelet on a white plate with fork in background
      Steak Omelette with Peppers, Onions, and Mushrooms
    • square image of pan friend sweet potatoes with small flowers.
      Pan Fried Sweet Potatoes
    • close up of grilled chicken quarters.
      Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters
    • close up of glazed hummingbird muffin.
      Hummingbird Muffins

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Disclosures and Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact Us
    • Work With Us

    Copyright © 2021 Biscuits & Burlap

    987 shares