Fortunately, we found an a-maize-ing corn on the cob hack that you can use to cook a dozen or more ears at once. All you’ll need is a large cooler and 30 minutes.

How To Cook Perfect Corn on the Cob in a Cooler

We picked up this helpful trick from TikTok creator @bds_6, who shared a video detailing how he cooks heaps of corn for big family outings and backyard barbecues. To start, you’ll need a large, hard-sided cooler, such as this one from Amazon, which has a 60-quart capacity. Make sure the cooler is clean, then drop your shucked ears of corn inside.

On your stovetop, use whatever pots you have to boil enough water to cover the corn. A general rule of thumb is to use 1 quart of water per ear of corn. Bring the water to a boil, then carefully carry it over to the cooler and pour it over the corn. The ears should be submerged, so be sure to boil enough water. Once the corn is bobbing around in there, close the lid of the cooler — this will trap the steam from the boiling water and cook the corn quickly.

After about 30 minutes, pop open the lid, and use a long pair of tongs to remove the cooked corn, transferring the ears to a serving tray or large pot. Allow the water in the cooler to cool completely before dumping it out.

Cut Corn From the Cob, the Easy Way

If you need to cut kernels from the cob to sprinkle on a salad or form into fritters, this hack will help you do it with less mess. Avoid standing the corncob upright on your cutting board when removing the kernels — if you do, you’ll be finding strays around the kitchen for days. Instead, once the cooked corncob has cooled enough to handle, snap it in half. Take one half and lay it flat on your cutting board. Using a sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice downward along one side of the cob, keeping the blade close to the core. Rotate the corncob and repeat this motion until it’s bare. You’ll be left with rows of stuck-together kernels that are easy to break apart with your fingers.

This home hack is part of Summer Spruce Up Week — seven days packed with ideas to get you ready for the season ahead. We’ll be sharing our best tips for stress-free grilling, memorable outdoor gatherings, and thriving summer gardens.

Along with the start of grilling season comes the start of “grilling hack” season, with TikTokers and other influencers sharing their favorite tips. Not all of those tips are necessarily worth following, though. Consider the divisive burger hack suggesting that ice cubes are the key to juicy burgers. While it’s not completely off-base, it’s not necessarily the express route to better burgers either. Let’s dig into this.

The Ice Cube Hack, Explained

There are a couple of different versions of the ice cube hack. One calls for placing an ice cube atop each patty as you put them on the grill. The more common variation suggests using smaller or broken-up ice, pressing a chunk into the center of the patty or integrating it as you form the patties. The logic here is that the ice cube adds moisture as it melts and helps prevent overcooking.

But let’s unpack this hack and look at some flaws in its reasoning. First, what makes burgers juicy is mostly the fat content, which is why the best burgers use beef that’s no more than 80% lean. Second, the melted ice cube literally waters down the flavor of your beef. The excess moisture also needs to cook off as steam before the burgers can brown. So, your choices are to serve a pale burger or keep cooking until it’s browned. This means your chances of overcooking it actually get worse.

How Can You Get Juicy Burgers?

If the ice cube hack isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, what are some proven tips for better burgers? Start by choosing beef that’s at most 80% lean. Much of the fat will render out during cooking, but while it’s there, it helps protect the moisture in the beef from evaporating, keeping it juicier. If you’d like to try adding moisture directly, mix a few tablespoons of liquid into the ground beef before you make up the patties. But don’t use water — use beef broth (or something else with a complementary flavor) so you’re adding beefiness as well.

The best thing you can do for your burgers is to simply avoid overcooking them. We recommend getting an instant-read thermometer and using it to cook your burgers to your preferred level of doneness. Once you have that dialed in, you can tweak your grilling (or pan-searing) technique to reliably produce the burger of your dreams.

This home hack is part of Summer Spruce Up Week — seven days packed with ideas to get you ready for the season ahead. We’ll be sharing our best tips for stress-free grilling, memorable outdoor gatherings, and thriving summer gardens.

So Long, Soggy Cooler

Instead of emptying a bag of ice into your cooler or bucket, which will leave both your drinks and your container dripping wet, use frozen water balloons to keep drinks cold. This method keeps cans, bottles, and juice boxes dry and also prevents you from having to clean up a soggy mess. At the end of the day, you can simply wipe off any condensation and store the cooler, rather than leaving it out to dry.

How To Prepare

Approximately 24 to 48 hours before your event, fill the balloons with water (we recommend these because you can fill and tie 100 balloons in only 60 seconds) and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet or shallow pan to freeze. Stick the balloons in the freezer, allowing them to freeze completely, until it’s time to transfer them to a cooler. Scatter them around the beverages in your cooler to add pops of color and a refreshing chill.

Now for the Fun Part

When the frozen orbs melt, you and your guests will have water balloons to throw. If you plan on doing this, though, be sure to use the small balloons that pop easily when thrown. And, we can’t stress this enough, double-check that the balloons are completely thawed before throwing them at someone.

If you want more durability out of the balloons for chilling purposes, use standard latex balloons (the kind you normally inflate with helium), filling them up partway with water. It’s not a bad idea to just always have a pack of balloons on hand — you never know when you’ll need them to chill drinks or celebrate someone’s birthday.

This home hack is part of Summer Spruce Up Week — seven days packed with ideas to get you ready for the season ahead. We’ll be sharing our best tips for stress-free grilling, memorable outdoor gatherings, and thriving summer gardens.

The Perils of Plastic Wrap

One of the most common, yet easily preventable mistakes people make is keeping celery inside the plastic packaging it’s often sold in. That’s because the plastic traps in ethylene gas — a naturally occurring hormone that causes plants to ripen quickly and spoil. So what should you use instead? Well, thankfully, the answer is probably already in your kitchen cabinet: aluminum foil.

If the celery was sold in plastic packaging, begin by removing the stalk from the plastic. (Fun fact: A bunch of celery is called a stalk, while a single piece is called a rib.)

Next, wrap the stalk in a large sheet of foil, being sure to leave the ends uncrimped. The foil will trap moisture, which is essential for maintaining crispness. At the same time, the uncrimped ends allow ethylene gas to escape, slowing down the ripening process. Store the foil-wrapped celery in the crisper drawer of any refrigerator, where it should remain crunchy for two weeks to a month.

How To Rehydrate Celery

Sometimes celery wilts, despite your best efforts to keep it crisp. But rather than toss out the limp ribs, try to revive them and restore some crunch. Trim a little bit off both ends of the ribs, place them in a bowl of ice-cold water, and let them soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to one hour. This should restore some of the celery’s natural crispness, though it would still be a good idea to use it sooner rather than later.