My farmer uncle taught me this secret. Just 3 ingredients for the most flavorful, rich side dish you will ever make this season.

Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is deep golden brown and crispy, 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally so it cooks evenly and doesn’t burn.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet. If there is more than about 2–3 tablespoons of fat, carefully spoon off any extra so you don’t overwhelm the dish.

Pour the hot bacon fat from the skillet into the bottom of a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. This becomes the base of the rich, savory cooking liquid.

Add the frozen sweet corn kernels directly to the slow cooker (no need to thaw). Scatter the crispy bacon pieces evenly over the top of the corn.

Dot the corn and bacon with the butter pieces, spreading them around so they melt evenly as the mixture cooks.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5–2 hours, until the corn is tender and everything is bubbling in a rich, buttery, bacon-infused liquid.

Once cooked, stir everything together well so the corn is coated in the buttery bacon juices and the bacon pieces are evenly distributed. Taste and, if desired, add a small pinch of salt or black pepper, but many people find the bacon adds enough seasoning on its own.
Switch the slow cooker to WARM for serving, give it a quick stir before ladling into bowls, and serve hot straight from the slow cooker.

Variations & Tips