Huitlacoche aka corn fungus aka corn smut

[Del_]

I've heard for decades that this is an edible delicacy and today for the first time I gave it a try. We've had a lot of rain lately and I've found 4 infected ears so far this year. Sauteed in real butter for 12 minutes in an electric skillet @°275F.

Delicious!

 

[chuckwood]

Well, there is a bit of a hump to get over regarding eating this fungus. It looks pretty gross and worst of all, you're eating something called "smut". How to tell you friends about how good "smut" tastes? I ain't tried it yet, and haven't seen any smut in my corn so far this year.

 

[Del_]

Well, there is a bit of a hump to get over regarding eating this fungus. It looks pretty gross and worst of all, you're eating something called "smut". How to tell you friends about how good "smut" tastes? I ain't tried it yet, and haven't seen any smut in my corn so far this year.

You will be surprised. It really is quite good. There is some interesting data in the videos.

Interesting how it has higher nutrient value than the corn itself. I was harvesting some late last evening cutting it off of the cob and realized that the fungus is eating the cob, too, not just the kernel of corn.

Corn smut really does damage and reduce edible corn on the cob harvest. It is something to be scouted out and removed from the planting.

This is my first year in over 35 years of growing corn that I'll be scouting our corn crop for this edible delicacy and I'm going to get started as soon as I can feel my toes again.

 

[amberg]

Hmmmmmm, interesting!! Cows won't even eat it here. The older I get the dumber I get. I guess you live and learn.

 

[Mycrossover]

As far as bad names go, some of the most widely consumed edibles have had a name change to improve sales. Tuna was horse mackeral and canola oil was rapeseed oil. I have heard that this fungus is very popular in Mexico. I enjoyed getting a close up look.


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[Del_]

I fried some just the other night. Very good!

We've not had much corn smut this year, in face only on two ears.

 

[sonny580]

VERY nasty stuff!!!! lol!!! Don't have much problem with it here, at least not yet! ----I prefer eating just the nice clean corn! thanks; sonny580