Par-Cooking Corn on the Cob in a Microwave I prefer barbecued corn on the cob, but don't always have the chance to cook it quickly after buying it. I know that fresh corn loses its sweetness fairly quickly if you don't lock it in by cooking it, so I want to blanch it in the microwave enough to retain the flavour but not so much that it will be overcooked if I barbecue it.

Is this possible, and if so, for how long should I microwave the cobs?
The microwave is a fantastic place to cook vegetables, especially corn. You can fully cook an ear in around 3 minutes, in the husk. Leaving the corn in the husk seems to trap a great deal of steam as it cooks, speeding up cook time. If you're looking to get some nice color from the grill while avoiding the wait, I would try 2 - 2:30 in the microwave, depending on how done (or fresh) you like your corn.