Jennifer Garner’s 5-Ingredient Summer Corn Side Is Grandma-Approved

If there’s one thing we love more than seeing Jennifer Garner’s Pretend Cooking Show on our Instagram feed, it’s seeing an episode of the “show” with Garner’s mom as a special guest. Together, the pair have made recipes like cornbread, chiffon pie, and blueberry buckle—and while the dishes themselves always seem delicious, it’s Pat Garner’s personality that truly steals the show.

That was the case again as Garner’s mother, who she refers to as “Grandmom,” showed Garner’s followers how to make creamed corn.

“My sisters and I grew up on this corn, it tastes like summer,” Garner wrote in her Instagram caption. “My kids prefer when it is made by the queen herself. We love Grandmom.”

In the adorable video, Grandmom says she learned the five-ingredient recipe from her neighbor. All it calls for is fresh corn, water, butter, sugar, milk, flour, salt, and pepper. However, it’s Grandmom’s method—and her love for the West Virginian bears—that make the recipe and video that much better.

How To Make Jennifer Garner's Grandmom Corn

To start, you’ll cut the corn off the cob—preferably cutting away from yourself and not toward yourself, like Garner’s mother did as Garner watched in horror. It’s important to cut just the tips of the kernels off and then scrape your corn cob, rather than cutting deeper into the cob, or else your corn will be too tough, according to Grandmom.

Apparently, Garner has been cutting her cobs too much, she shyly admits in the video. 

“We call this corn ‘Grandmom Corn’ at my house. My kids request it, we make it all the time—and I’ve been doing it wrong for the past 18 years of parenting,” Garner says.

“Why are you doing it wrong,” her mother asks.

“I was going too deep on the kernels, Mom, I have to admit,” Garner responds. 

Hey, it’s better late than never, Jen! 

After cutting the kernels, the Garners take a momentary break to feed the bears in Grandmom’s backyard. 

“We’re in West Virginia and we can throw the corn cobs over the hill when we get them all scraped,” Grandmom says. 

“Here you go bears,” Garner says as she throws the cobs. “You expect them to show up with a napkin tied around their neck.”

From there, you’ll add the corn and “a little” water to a skillet over medium heat. Then, add small pieces of butter to the skillet, “so it will melt faster,” sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until tender. You’ll thicken the corn with a milk and flour slurry until it’s ready. How will you know?

“The consistency is that of creamed corn,” Grandmom says.

The Garners enjoy the creamy corn on its own, but we’d think it would be delicious paired with any summer main. It’s the easiest potluck side for burgers, steak, grilled chicken, and anything else you serve at your backyard barbecue. Just watch out for those pesky bears—it seems they’re fans of Garner’s corn, too.