Corn Is A Frugal Side Dish
Fresh corn is on sale everywhere in the Spring and Summer so this is also a very frugal side dish. In fact, we just can pick some up for usually for only $.20 EACH at our local grocery store.
Now is the time to enjoy this inexpensive side dish. This grilled corn on the cob recipe is frugal, fast, and fabulous! It is a must have at any family BBQ at our house and the kids are normally fighting over the last ear.
Is Grilled Corn On The Cob Healthy
Corn is rich in fiber and plant compounds that may aid digestive and eye health. Yet, its high in starch, can spike blood sugar and may prevent weight loss when consumed in excess. The safety of genetically modified corn may also be a concern. Still, in moderation, corn can be part of a healthy diet.
How To Grill Corn In Foil:
Pro Tip: I dont add any butter or oil to the cob inside the foil. The corn is naturally juicy and the foil seals in the moisture. You also dont have to worry about oil leaking out of the corn and causing fiery flare-ups on the grill.
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How To Buy Fresh Corn On The Cob
When buying corn, its not always possible to peel back a corner of the husk to make sure the kernels are plump and fresh. In fact, at some places, its frowned upon. So, when buying corn, keep these tips in mind:
- Feel the corn through the husk and make sure it feels firm it should not feel soft or mushy. The kernels should be intact make sure there arent empty places where the kernels should be.
- The husk should be green and tight. Dried-out or brown husks means the corn is old. Also, keep an eye out for little brown holes, especially near the top, as this is a sign of worms or insects.
- Look at the tassels sticking out from the top of the corn. They should be light brown or gold and a little sticky.
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Why We Love Grilled Corn
We love grilled corn because it’s so sweet. Corn has natural sweetness which you’ll taste even if you boil or microwave it. But when you put corn on the grill, the high heat caramelizes the sugars on the surface of the kernels. When done right, this gives the corn a pleasing, slightly crispy texture, and amps up the sweetness factor.
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Why Grill Corn On The Cob
- Because it is fast and so easy and so delicious.
- No big pots, no baking, and no foil required, just a grill.
- Grilling corn in the husk creates its own steam and leaves the corn tender.
- Grilling caramelizes the sugar in the corn and also adds a bit of delicious smoky flavor and chars the corn kernels.
Why Does It Take That Long To Grill Corn
Corns are healthy but they need to be cooked properly before consuming them. It can be boiled liked keeping the corn in the boiling water for about 4-5 minutes or can be grilled for 15-10 minutes. The time taken by the corns in grilling depends on the factor on which temperature or flame they are been grilled. The corns can be grilled fast on a high flame but it needs to be turned in every one or two minutes to avoid burning and overcooking otherwise it will lose its taste.
Eating any raw food is hazardous to our health so, in the same way, consuming raw corn is also dangerous too. Consuming raw corn can harm your digestive system as it is hard to get digest. The human digestive system is not capable of digesting raw food items. It can cause bloating, gas and in severe cases, it can cause diarrhea too which might affect your health for a longer time.
Sweet corns are very rich in sugar content it is not good for people suffering from diabetes as this may increase their sugar level in the body. Consuming more corn leads to an increase in your weight, and overconsumption can cause osteoporosis as it lacks calcium content. It is not good for our teeth also. It has a high risk of pellagra which means deficiency of vitamins in the body which is just not good for a healthy body.
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Should You Soak Corn Before Grilling
You may have heard that corn should be soaked in water before grillingbut it really depends on the corn. If the husks are bright green and tightly wrapped, your corn is fresh and can be grilled with no additional steps. Dont shuck it or peel back the husksthe corn silk does not need to be removed before grilling.
If the husks are dry, peeling or turning yellow, the corn will need a soak first. Soak the whole, un-shucked ears in warm water for 10 minutes before proceeding. This helps rehydrate the husks and keeps the corn from drying out and burning on the grill.
If you bought corn that was already shucked, tightly wrap each cob in aluminum foil before placing on the grill.
How To Husk And Serve Grilled Corn
When finished, youll have ears of corn with varying degrees of husk and silk clinging to golden, lightly charred corn and youll probably be wondering how the heck to husk it. Remove the ears from the grill and cool for five minutes. Then you should be able to easily pull back the husks and silk. Use a clean kitchen towel to wipe away any unwanted silk or charred husk flakes.
Personally I think butter and salt are the only toppings you need, but try to serve the corn immediately for the most satisfying results.
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Cooking Corn On The Grill In Foil
Why would anyone need to grill corn in foil, you might ask? Well, its for these three simple reasons:
- It helps cook evenly and perfectly. The foil pack helps trap heat and moisture, ensuring that the entire cob of corn cooks equally and uniformly.
- The foil allows the corn to simmer in buttery bliss the entire time, ideal for dishes like this with lovely garlic butter.
- In 30 minutes, youll have the perfect summer side dish on the table.
To make grilled corn in foil, you need to consider the grill temperature and cook time. Once youve mastered that, you can enjoy your grilled corn in foil recipes anytime you want.
When making grilled corn in foil, follow these steps for optimal results:
- Preheat the grill to a medium-high temperature .
- Season the corn and wrap it in foil. Rub it with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper, and then top it with a couple of pats of butter.
- Wrap the corn loosely with foil. When wrapping the corn in foil, ensure the edges are sealed, but the wrapper isnt too tight. Then, to allow air to escape, punch a few holes in the aluminum foil.
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once or twice. Check to examine if the corn is a brilliant yellow color and well-cooked the timing will vary depending on the grill temperature.
The grilled corn in foil with butter, salt, and pepper will suffice to make the recipe pleasant. If you want to go a step further, heres what we suggest:
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Sauces For Grilled Corn
Heres the fun part: what to slather onto your grilled corn on the cob! Of course, you may have your own ideas. But here are some of ours:
- Butter and salt: The classic melted butter and salt is always transcendental.
- Butter and Parmesan: Slather with butter, then add shredded Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs like basil, thyme or oregano.
- Elote : One of our favorite ways to serve corn is as elote or Mexican street corn. The creamy, spiced sauce with cheese crumbles, lime and cilantro is out of this world.
- Chili lime mayo: Or, go a little simpler with this chili lime mayo.
- Yum Yum sauce: This sauce is just like it sounds: over the top yum.
best
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Grilled Corn In Foil Ingredients:
- corn on the cob
- black pepper
- sea salt
Garlic butter sauce mixed from melted butter, salt and pepper, and garlic powder is the secret to the perfect grilled corn on the cob recipe. You will not believe how flavorful it is!
Another choice is to brush the corn with the same seasoning we use in our Elotes Mexicanos recipe. This is another grilled corn recipe that you can make directly on your grill.
How Do You Tell If Grilled Corn On The Cob Is Done
The best way to tell if corn on the cob on the grill is done is to press against the kernels with your finger –if you feel safe doing so — or with a blunt-edged object like the back of your grilling tongs. The kernels should be tender and should compress slightly. Undercooked kernels will be hard to the touch.
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How To Grill Frozen Corn On The Cob
So, you have a craving for grilled corn, but the produce section is empty. You head to the freezer section, but whats next? Most of what you find at the store is sweet corn that comes on the cob, so its perfect for either the grill or stove top. Loose kernels dont do so well on the grill for obvious reasons, so if you have your heart set on cooking corn on the grill, skip the bags of frozen corn and purchase corn on the cob instead.
Once you get this sweet, golden deliciousness home, the easiest way to grill the corn is to wrap it in aluminum foil while its frozen. Wrapping it up so that it cooks in the foil means less mess and clean-up. Plus, a nice steam builds up to draw out the natural sweetness of the corn. Another bonus to wrapping frozen cobs in foil is that theres practically zero prep time involved.
The next step is to prepare your grill, then place the corn over medium heat for roughly 25 minutes, turning occasionally. Corn on the cob, if frozen, has been previously blanched, meaning that its already partially cooked, so you dont want to overdo it.
Carefully remove corn on the cob from the foil , then sprinkle melted butter, garlic salt, parmesan cheese, or pepper to taste if you want to add flavor for the perfect summer dish.
If youre skipping the foil and decide to place corn directly on the grill, removing it around the10 minute mark helps to avoid overcooking. The lack of foil protecting it means less time on the heat.
Grilling Corn In Husk: Pros And Cons
The standard method for grilling corn? Shuck it and place it right onto the grill grates, so it gets beautifully charred. Another popular method is grilling corn in foil, which comes out extremely moist but no smoky grill flavor. Grilling corn in the husk is like a combination of the two methods!
- Grilling corn in the husk results in moist, juicy corn with a hint of charred nuttiness .
- Some tradeoffs? Prep takes some time: youll have to remove the silk from each cob, and soak them for at least 20 minutes. It also takes slightly longer to grill than the grates method, and the cooking is slightly more uneven.
Is it worth it? After tasting it, we think so! We still like our perfect grilled corn method for ease of use, but this one is definitely up there flavor-wise. Plus, the husks come out fantastically blackened which looks visually impressive.
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Why Should You Grill Corn On The Cob In Foil
When you grill corn on the cob in foil, the prep is minimal and the kernels turn out so moist and flavorful. The foil traps the steam and corn juices to keep the ears from drying out so theres no need for pre-soaking the corn.
On hot summer days, you can avoid turning on your stove by cooking foil-wrapped corn outside on the grill. Cooking corn in foil requires hardly any prep and is the easiest method. It is also quick and takes just 15-20 minutes on a grill at medium/high heat.
How Can You Cook The Corn On The Cob Directly From The Freezer
Whenever you are eating corn, you have to consider two options: putting the corn in the fridge for a night to defrost or putting the corn directly in the boiling water so you can utilize it right away.
There are some pros and cons of each method. So, you have to decide carefully which method suits you the best.
If you want to grill the frozen corn, you need to let it defrost. However, if you aim to eat the boiled kernels, you can directly put the frozen corn into the boiled water. Moreover, you can also use the microwave to defrost the corn, so it is not a problem, and you dont have to wait for a night to let corn defrost.
Yet many people still put corn into the fridge for a night so they can enjoy the real taste of the corn. Microwave heat can add a bit of bad flavor to the corn.
In addition to that, you have to decide how you will utilize the corn before freezing it. If you have to boil it after taking it out from the freezer, that means you have to boil it before you freeze it. Doing this can help you cook the corn in minutes.
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How To Grill Corn In The Husk:
You can also grill the corn in the husk. Sometimes, the husks will catch on fire when grilling so I recommend removing a few of the outer layers of the husks before grilling.
Then place the corn with the husks on directly on the grill and cook for around 20 minutes rotating frequently until the kernels turn a bright yellow color.
Allow the corn to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing the husks as they will be hot when removing them from the grill.
Other One Hot Oven Farmer’s Market Recipes
Blue Lake green beans from the farmer’s market are used for Barbequed Green Beans. These beans are tender and braised in a tangy barbecue sauce with ham and onions. A delicious twist on regular green beans.
If you love pickles look for pickling cucumbers at the farmer’s market to make these Bread and Butter Pickles. They are sweet, tangy, crunchy, and delicious. If you haven’t made pickles give this recipe a try, it is very easy.
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How To Grill Corn In The Husk: Basic Steps
Ready to try this method? Grilling corn in the husk requires a bit of prep work, but its well worth it. Here are the two steps youll need to do that you might not think of before starting:
- Youll need to remove the silk. Yes, its a little fussy! Remove the silk of the corn, then pull the husks back up. This makes eating it easier once it comes off the grill.
- Soak the cobs for 20 minutes. The husks are going to get very blackened on the grill grates. So to prevent them from catching fire, youll need to soak them first!
- Preheat the grill to medium high: thats 375 to 450 degrees.
- Grill for 20 to 22 minutes. Turn them to get even blackening on the outside of the husk.
Again, the prep work is worth it! Grilling corn in the husk gives it a roasty, charred flavor but keeps it moist instead of drying out .
How To Grill Corn Without The Husk
You can grill fresh corn without the husk, but you have to be careful because the husks arent there to protect it from overcooking and drying out. If you want to grill corn this way, keep it on the grill for only about 10 minutes, since its over direct heat, as compared to grilling 20 or 30 minutes with husks or foil.
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Essential Bbq Side Dish
Whenever you have a passing thought about what sides to make for a BBQ, the answer must surely always include grilled corn, right??! I mean, its the most effortless BBQ side dish ever: plonk corn on the BBQ, serve with butter.
And we could just leave it at that.
But I like to do one extra little thing to make it even more amazing: brush with melted butter while its on the BBQ. This does two things adds buttery flavour, and helps get extra char on the corn because the butter conducts heat. Its so good!
