• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Living Well Kitchen logo

  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • Videos
    • Recipes
    • Bloopers
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Easy Meals
  • Breakfast
  • Main Dish
  • Dessert
  • Slow Cooker
  • Videos
  • Intuitive Eating
  • Quiz
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Recipes » Sides » Grains

    Fried Corn

    Published: Aug 8, 2013 · Updated: Aug 15, 2019 · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Fried Corn is a delicious Southern side dish, and this version is much healthier with only a touch of butter and bacon for flavor.

    cast iron skillet with Fried Corn on white table

    There's nothing like good corn on the cob.

    Slather it in butter and sprinkle it with salt and you've got pure gold {or light gold}.

    There are few things as tasty as good corn on the cob, and I'm particularly nostalgic about corn on the cob because it reminds me of my grandfather. I can still picture him now eating his corn on the cob, cracking jokes left & right as bits of corn are stuck to his face. No one cared, though, that Paw Paw had corn stuck to his face; we were all too busy laughing at the story he was telling, even if it was the 20th time you'd heard it.

    cast iron skillet with Fried Corn on blue pot holders, salt, pepper

    Since it's summertime, I decided I wanted to do a post on corn. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Silver Queen corn and I know it's good but plain corn on the cob isn't the most exciting recipe to post. So I made some Fried Corn.

    Over 4th of July weekend, as my cousins & I were playing dominoes, we started discussing the meals that my grandmother {on the other side of the fam} used to make. My cousin started talking about my grandmother's fried corn: in a cast iron skillet you cook the bacon then sauté the fresh corn kernels in bacon grease & butter, then add a good amount of black pepper and top with bacon.

    I took mental notes and decided to make it myself.  Worried that I might have missed some important details since I was busy enjoying my Mojito Limeades, I decided to search for a fried corn recipe and found Paula Deen's recipe for Fried Cream Corn to use as my inspiration.

    cast iron skillet on blue pot holder with Fried Corn

    Since this is my version and much healthier, I kept the bacon in there of course and still used some butter, just not half a stick.

    To start, you fry the bacon. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and wipe out all but one teaspoon of bacon grease.

    Meanwhile, you'll want to cut the corn kernels off the cob. Do this slowly and on a big cutting board so the kernels don't fly all over the kitchen. Once all the kernels are off the cob, I go back and scrape the cob with the back of the knife to get some of the milk out of the cob. This'll help make your fried corn creamier {without the addition of cream or more butter}.

    Then you'll just fry the corn kernels in a little bacon grease plus some butter {1 teaspoon instead of 1/2 stick}. After the corn has been "fried" you season it liberally with pepper and a little salt, sprinkle with the cooked bacon and a green onion if desired. The pepper {and the bacon!} is the most important seasoning. You don't want to skimp on the pepper. I'm not a huge black pepper fan - I mean, I could totally skip pepper most times - but it's an integral part of Fried Corn. Don't forget it!

    Be sure to serve this with some healthier choices like grilled lean {chicken, flank steak, seafood} & veggies and/or a salad.

    Enjoy!

    cast iron skillet with Fried Corn on white table

    Fried Corn

    Fried Corn is a delicious Southern side dish, and this version is much healthier with only a touch of butter and bacon for flavor. Gluten free and can be vegetarian and/or dairy free.
    No ratings yet
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    • 2 slices center-cut bacon
    • 4 ears corn
    • 1 teaspoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1 green onion chopped {optional}

    Instructions

    • Cook the bacon over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels and set aside.
    • Meanwhile, chop the kernels off the cob {I like to do this slow and on a big cutting board, so the kernels don't fly all over the kitchen. To add extra creaminess to your Fried Corn, use the back of the knife and scrape the cob to get any extra juice out of the cob}.
    • Wipe all but one teaspoon of bacon grease out of the skillet. Add the butter and heat over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels, and sauté corn for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
    • Reduce heat to medium-low and add water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper & salt. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and green onions, if using. Enjoy!

    Notes

    *To make this vegetarian, omit the bacon and use an extra teaspoon of butter.
    *Use olive oil in place of the butter for a dairy free version.
    *Makes about 3 cups.
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    [showhide type="post" more_text="Click here for Nutrition Facts" less_text="Clear Nutrition Facts"]
    *

    Nutrition Facts
    Fried Corn
    Serving Size
     
    0.75 cup
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    103
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    3
    g
    5
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    6
    mg
    2
    %
    Sodium
     
    229
    mg
    10
    %
    Potassium
     
    243
    mg
    7
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    17
    g
    6
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    6
    g
    7
    %
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Vitamin A
     
    229
    IU
    5
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    9
    mg
    11
    %
    Calcium
     
    1
    mg
    0
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *
    [/showhide]

    What to use in this recipe:


    Meme

    « Broccoli Slaw Spaghetti
    Guacamole Burgers »
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme -- a thirty-something girl from Alabama living in San Diego! Join me as I prove that living a guilt-free, healthy lifestyle can be budget friendly, delicious & fun!
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    pork tenderloin with gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans on white plate with yellow and white striped napkin

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Protein Pancakes from Living Well Kitchen

    protein pancakes

    white plate with a slice of zucchini lasagna

    Zucchini Lasagna

    spatula holding a microwave cookie

    Microwave Oatmeal Cookie

    stack of almond butter banana cookies with one cookie facing the front on wooden cutting board with a glass of milk, banana, oats, vanilla extract, and almond butter container

    Almond Butter Banana Cookies

    Gluten free Crab Cakes from Living Well Kitchen @memeinge

    Gluten free Crab Cakes

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    cut open avocado on a straw placemat with a white bowl of white turkey chili with a silver spoon on a patterned napkin

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    miso dressing, miso paste, next to two Miso Brown Rice and Kale Bowls

    Miso Brown Rice and Kale Bowl

    chicken nugget vegetable kabobs on a plate of green leaf lettuce, dipping sauce, lemon, yogurt, bag of frozen chicken nuggets

    Chicken Nugget Vegetable Kabobs

    bowl of Buffalo Chicken Salad, blue cheese, wing sauce, celery, cilantro

    Buffalo Chicken Salad

    Salads

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    white and black napkin with plate of pita chips, celery, and red bell peppers, and a bowl of chicken salad with pita chip in bowl

    Hummus Chicken Salad

    fresh strawberries on white counter with glass container of strawberry dressing, jar of balsamic vinegar

    Strawberry Salad Dressing

    bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad with fresh rosemary and lentils

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    bowl of ginger beef soup on a gold and white napkin with garlic, limes, and ginger

    Ginger Beef Soup

    Avocado Deviled Eggs

    rectangle serving dish with crawfish dip on a square plate with sliced orange bell peppers and pita chips with a green napkin

    Crawfish Dip

    salmon fillets covered in pesto in a white baking dish on wooden table

    Pesto Salmon

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipes

    Copyright © 2022

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT