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Barefoot Contessa fans are loving Ina Garten's simple, no-mess corn-cutting hack

All it takes is a sharp knife and a towel!
/ Source: TODAY

It's the start of the summer which means fresh corn season is almost in full swing.

With the delicious yellow veggie ready to be picked and eaten around the country, dishes with this crowd-pleasing staple are gracing tables in all ways, from corn on the cob and corn salad to muffins and cornbread.

Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, always has a trick or two up her sleeve for dealing with fresh ingredients. So, of course, she's worked out a system to easily get the kernels off of a corn cob (mess-free!) for salads and other dishes — and for kids with braces who can’t it right off the cob!

Though the trick is pretty simple, her fans are absolutely loving it.

Garten first shared the trick on her Instagram account two summers ago and it racked up over 2,000 comments and hundreds of thousands of views.

What’s her trick? It all has to do with a handy kitchen towel.

"How do you get the corn kernels off the corn cob without getting them all over the kitchen?" Garten asks. "I've worked out a system."

First, lay a kitchen towel across the counter where you’ll be cutting the kernels. Then, grab a really sharp chef’s knife. Cut the knobby ends off of the corn to give it an even edge to stand on its end.

"You want a really sharp knife, so you can get most of the kernels," Garten advised.

Corn on the cob
Getty Images

Then use the knife to shave off the kernels from top to bottom.

Where does the towel come in?

"Without the kitchen towel," Garten said, "kernels just bounce all over the kitchen."

Secondly, the towel acts as an easy vessel for transporting the corn to a pan, pot or bowl, so you can quickly get started on whatever corny recipe you have in mind.

"Easy corn kernels, without the mess!" Garten declared.

Once the kernels are ready, try Garten’s refreshing Fresh Corn Salad recipe, which is made with red onion and cider vinegar. Another winning dish is her Confetti Corn with peppers, corn, basil and chives.

Garten isn't just a master of veggies. She also plenty of great tips for cooking crispy fried chicken and how to make an outstanding giant cosmopolitan cocktail.