Corn on the cob is great the old fashioned way, boiled and slathered in salted butter. But if you haven’t tried grilled corn on the cob you are in for a treat. But just what is the best way to grill corn on the cob? We’ll dive into the two main theories for grilled corn on the cob: husk on or husk off. Both methods yield delicious results, and we’ll share the secrets to each, letting you decide which smoky, sweet experience you prefer. (Full disclosure: the husk-on version often delivers an extra layer of smoky flavor!)
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Why Choose Fresh, Organic Corn?
For a simple dish like grilled corn on the cob, the quality of your ingredients truly shines. Opting for fresh, organic sweet corn ensures you’re getting the purest flavor and highest nutritional value. Also, getting it from a local farm ensures it’s even fresher and sweeter.
- Purer Taste: Organic corn is often sweeter and more flavorful, having been grown in healthy soil without synthetic pesticides (which are now believed to be as bad a smoking in terms of causing cancer).
- Nutrient Rich: Sweet corn is naturally high in fiber, phosphorus, and B vitamins. It also boasts an array of phytonutrients, including anthocyanins, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which function as powerful antioxidants, reducing inflammation and protecting your cells.
- Wholesome Goodness: By choosing organic, you ensure your summer staple is free from unwanted chemical residues, making it a healthier and more wholesome choice for your family.
What to Serve w/ Your Grilled Corn on the Cob
Corn on the cob in the quintessential summer side, so we say have it with pretty much everything. But if you’re stumped for ideas, a sample menu for me would be to eat them with a grilled portobello and peach (yes, peach!) burger or a grilled veggie panini with basil. I like to serve these non-traditional salsa recipes as an app beforehand with some tortilla chips.
For the drink menu: Sparkling sangria spritzer (this patriotic version is red-white-and-blue and so much fun).
For the dessert menu: Red velvet (also red-white-and-blue) mini cupcakes. I love these because they’re topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries, which make them more palatable on a hot day.
How to Grill Corn with the Husk On
Ingredients
8 ears of corn, unshucked
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
Directions
Peel back the husks of each ear of corn, but do not remove husk. Remove the silk and fold the husks back into place. Soak the cobs in cold water with salt for about 10 minutes.
Remove cobs from water and shake off excess liquid. If you like herby corn, pull back husks again and rub on your herbs. Fold husks back into place. Grill parallel to the grill grates over medium heat for about 20 minutes (10-15 minutes if your grill is hot), turning about every 5 minutes. Your corn is ready when the kernels can be pierced with a knife and about one-third of the kernels are golden-brown.
Serve with butter. Or try one of our nontraditional corn on the cob toppings or compound butters.Â
My family does a pretty cool trick with a slice of bread to make buttering your corn cob easier. Put your pat of butter on a slice of bread and use that to butter your corn cob. Pass the bread around the table for everyone to butter his or her cob. Whoever loves REALLY buttery bread (in my family’s case, my dad) gets to eat the bread with dinner.
The husk on method is my favorite because the toasting husks lend a smokier flavor to the corn than the husk off version. But, if you prefer the husks off, try grilling with foil.
How to Grill Corn with the Husk Off
Ingredients
8 ears of corn, shucked
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
olive oil, melted
foil (optional)
Directions
Soak shucked corn in salted cold water for about 10 minutes. Remove from water, shaking off excess. Brush olive oil over cobs and wrap in aluminum foil, if desired, twisting ends to seal. One of the pluses for foil-wrapped corn is that you can pack in lots of herbs and butter that won’t leak out. But I find the butter’s more effective after the roasting. If you like herby corn, add it with the olive oil and leave the buttering for later.
Grill parallel to the grill grates over medium heat for about 20 minutes (10-15 minutes if your grill is hot), turning about every 5 minutes. Your corn is ready when the kernels can be pierced with a fork.
Serve with butter.Â
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