Grilled corn on the cob becomes intensely flavorful and sweet when smoky. Elote (Mexican street corn) is prevalent on restaurant menus, grilled corn on the cob topped with mayo, sour cream, cotija cheese, chili powder and lime juice.
It’s easy to make grilled corn at home, no matter how you season it. The cooking time for this simple technique is often less than fifteen minutes.
Image Credit: Pexels/Nikita Belokhonov
Do You Need To Par-Boil Corn Before
Grilling It?
Par-boiling (or blanching) is cooking the corn until it becomes soft. Rhoda Boone, culinary creative director at Made In, recommended this before grilling corn. Your corn will be juicier, preventing it from drying on the grill and shortening the grilling time.
In addition to blanching corn, Boone recommends patting it dry, grilling it until browned, and turning it occasionally. Shuck the corn before par-parboiling cooking for one minute. Ice bathe the corn immediately after cooking.
An Ideal Way To Grill Corn, From Start To
Finish
When grilling corn, remove the husk and use a grill instead of direct flames. The husk can be removed or left on when grilling corn. Here’s why:
- Cooking with the husk makes it easier, but you can’t tell if it’s cooked, and the grassy taste can be unappealing. You also won’t get charred kernels.
- Charring directly on charcoal or BBQ flames is the best, but it tends to dry out some kernels.
- Corn with husk off, wrapped in foil – juicy kernels, but more work!
- The best method is to grill directly with the husk off.
Image Credit: Pexels/Nisarg Dave
How To Season Your Corn On The Cob
Summer corn barely needs any embellishments. However, if tempted, here are some tips:
- Brush it with butter, honey, and cayenne,
- Add a garlicky parmesan butter,
- Rub some salt with lime zest and paprika, or
- Classic Mexican: spread mayonnaise and sprinkle some cheese and chili powder