Julie Clark
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Grilled Corn on the Cob
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Our hints for making the best grilled corn on the cob. All you need is 20 minutes for this easy summer side dish. Don’t forget the garlic butter!
One of our favorite parts of a summer picnic is the grilled corn. As soon as we can find fresh corn in the grocery store or in a farmer’s market, you can bet we’re buying it up. We like to eat the corn as an easy grilled side dish, but we also like to use it in this easy cream of corn soup!
How to Grill Corn on the Cob
There are many hints and methods out there for grilling the perfect ear of corn. We’re going over several of those methods today and sharing with you some different things to try so that you end up with corn that YOUR family loves.
How to Choose Corn on the Cob
Have you ever wondered how to best choose an ear of corn? Of course you can peel down the top and see if it looks good, but then that it sometimes frowned upon….I mean I know I don’t want to buy an ear of corn that has been partially peeled.
Choose an ear of corn that feels full and plump with no holes. The tassels at the top should be brown and sticky. And the husk on the corn should be a pretty green color.
Do you peel corn before grilling?
There are two different methods for cooking corn:
- Place the corn right on the grill without removing husks or silk. This method will work really well by steaming the corn. It will taste similar to a boiled corn flavor.
- Our favorite method is to peel back the top of the husks and remove the silks. We will brush the corn with olive oil and then put the husks back up around the corn.
How long to grill corn?
In order to get the corn tender, it will only take about 15 minutes on the grill. If you’d like it to have more of a roasted flavor, grill it for an additional 5-10 minutes.
If you find the corn cooking too much on one side, rotate it part way through grilling.
What does grilled corn taste like?
If you grill the corn with the husks and silk, you’ll end up with corn that tastes very similar to boiled corn. It’s delicious and tender and sweet.
If you remove the silks from the corn and partially peel back the husks, the corn will have more of a roasted flavor.
Common Questions:
Do I have to soak corn before grilling?
We’ve found that the husks will char either way…whether you soak the corn or not. Our grill does not flare up much so we don’t worry about smoking the corn. If you have a grill that is likely to flame up, you may want to soak the corn first. It only needs to soak for about 10-30 minutes if you choose to soak it.
What do you put on grilled corn?
Here are some of our favorite options:
- Butter, salt and pepper
- Mexican street corn toppings
- Chili Lime Butter
- Sriracha & Cheese
How to Use Leftover Corn on the Cob
What do you do with any corn on the cobs that don’t get eaten at dinner? Use them in one of these recipes!
Our Best Corn Recipes
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Our hints for making the best grilled corn on the cob. All you need is 20 minutes for this easy summer side dish. Don't forget the garlic butter!
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 corn on the cob*
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium high (about 400º Fahrenheit).
- Choose one of two options: 1) Place the whole corn on the grill with husks still on. 2) Slightly peel back the husks and remove the silks. Brush the corn with olive oil, then place the husks back over the corn.
- Grill corn for 15 minutes for tender corn. If you desire your kernels to become more roasted, cook an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Remove corn from grill and allow to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Once corn has slightly cooled, remove husks and any silk that is left.
- Brush corn with melted butter mixture and serve.
Notes
The calories shown for 1 cob of buttered corn. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. *We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.*
Nutrition
Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 6.1mg | Iron: 0.5mg
I grill my corn totally different than discussed here so here’s my take: Removed the husks and silks Tear on square of foil for each ear- it should be 2 inches longer than the ear. Lay the ear on the diagonal on foil. Add one healthy pat of real butter to the foil and then grind peppercorn melange over the ear plus some turmeric or paprika.( NO salt) Seal the foil loosely but tighten the foil ends so the butter remains inside as it melts. Grill at medium heat for 7 minutes and rotate and swap the corn around the… Read more »