How To Make Corn On The Cob On The Grill

How To Grill Corn On The Cob In The Husk

First things first, before you even start grilling make sure you have all the right grilling utensils to ensure the process is easy and you prepared before anything hits that searing how grill. You can find all my grilling tools and accessories here.

How To Grill Corn Without The Husk

Any time youre firing up the grill for dinner, its a snap to throw a few ears of corn on the grill, too â instant, delicious side dish!

My absolute favorite way to do this is without the husks. Simply:

Step #1: Preheat and prepare your grill just as you always would.

Step #2: When your grills ready, cook your corn on the cob over medium to medium-high heat.

Keep the lid closed, but check your corn every few minutes, turning it so it cooks evenly and you get some lovely grill marks all around.

Grill your corn on the cob for 5-10 minutes.

The exact timing will vary based on how hot your grill runs and how done you like your corn. You can choose to just barely caramelize and warm it, or to go for a deeper, roasty-toasty sear.

Your choice!

If some ears of corn happen to be cooking over a hotter section of the grill and are done sooner than others, you can always move them to a cooler area or remove them from the grill while the other ears finish cooking.

How Do You Soak Corn In The Husk

Soak your corn husks. Find a large stockpot or pan big enough to fit the corn husks, then fill it with very warm water and a lid. The corn husks will float to the top, so you may need to add something to weigh them down a bit so that they are submerged. They will need to soak for about 30 minutes, or until softened.

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Can I Grill Corn In The Husk

Yes! Corn on the cob can be grilled in the husk. An optional step is to peel back the husk and remove the silk strands from the cob, but you can also grill the cobs without removing the silk. To keep the husk from burning or catching fire, its a good idea to soak your corn for 15 minutes to 1 hour before grilling.

Grilled Corn On The Cob In The Husk

Grilling corn while it’s still wrapped in the husk will help keep in moisture, resulting in a juicier ear of corn. Whether you remove the silk before or after grilling is a matter of personal preference. To remove the silk before grilling, pull back – but don’t remove – the husk, pull off the silk, and smooth the husk back up. Or, simply peel the whole darn thing after grilling. Don’t be alarmed: The husk will char completely but the tender kernels inside will steam perfectly and the silk will come off cleanly.

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Grilled Corn On The Cob In Foil

Try this recipe: Sweet Grilled Corn

A little more work at the beginning will make it less of a mess at the end. Simply remove the husk and silk from the corn and wrap the corn completely in heavy aluminum foil. If you like, smear the cob with a little flavored butter, herbs, or salt before wrapping. The best part of this method is that the aluminum foil helps keep the corn warmer, longer, which is especially helpful if you’re cooking for a crowd.

How Long To Grill Corn

Cooking corn on the grill takes about 15 to 20 minutes total. Remember to regularly turn the corn so it doesnt become too dark on one side. In addition to your timer and the look of your grill marks, use your nose as your guide. When you can smell that delicious cooked corn aroma, its likely the corn is done cooking.

If you like a more charred flavor, toss the husked corn cobs back on the grill to add more color.

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Do You Have To Soak Corn On The Cob Before Grilling

Yes and No. Some people like to brine or soak their corn for at least 10 minutes before grilling. This creates a steaming effect as you grill the corn. However, you dont have to soak the corn if you dont want to or dont have time. You can go from grill to mouth as quickly as possible. Just shuck the corn completely and then place it right on the grill to cook and get those beautiful char marks. Either way, grilled corn takes about 15-20 minutes.

How To Grill Corn On The Cob

I have two methods for how to grill corn on the cob. They yield slightly different results, but both are delicious. Which one I pick on a given day depends on how much time I have and what Im craving. Feel free to choose whichever sounds best to you!

1. In the husk In this method, the ears of corn steam inside the husk, yielding juicy, tender kernels that are bright yellow and barely charred. I pull the husks of the corn back, leaving them attached at the base, and remove the silk. Then, I pull the husks back up and soak the corn in the husks for 10 minutes. After the corn soaks, I pat it dry and grill it in the husks until the corn is tender and light char marks form. I choose this method when Im craving really juicy, sweet grilled corn on the cob, and Im not as concerned about the char.

2. Straight on the grill Choose this method if youre all about the char! Here, I shuck the corn, removing the silk and husks, and cook the cobs directly on the grill. Cooking corn this way means that the kernels wont be quite as juicy theyll lose some of their moisture to the hot grill grates. However, theyll be nicely charred and full of smoky flavor. This method is also great if youre short on time. With no soaking required, the grilled corn cooks up in minutes.

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Grilled Corn Tips & Tricks

• Buy the best corn you can find and cook it as soon as possible. The fresher your corn, the more hydrated the kernels will be, and the sweeter the corn will taste. Thats because the naturally-occurring sugars in corn convert to starch over time.
• Before grilling, trim off the tassels and any bits of husk that are jutting away from the cob. Otherwise, those parts can catch fire in the grill.
• Let the corn cool enough to handle before you shuck it. Ouch! To be extra safe, wrap a clean tea towel around the base and pull off the husk and silks with your other hand. Then, use the towel to wipe off any stubborn pieces of silk.
• Keep a paper grocery bag handy to contain all of the husks and silks. The shucking process goes by quickly when you have help, so put your people to work!
• Pull the husks all the way off the cobs, rather than just down around the base. Keeping the husks on can look cute and rustic, but the corn takes up more space on the grill this way and becomes more difficult to turn. Plus, the husks are liable to burn before the corn is done.

Grilling Corn On The Cob With The Husk Off

One of my favorite ways is to husk fresh corn on the cob, rinse with water, brush butter or margarine on the corn with a pastry brush, sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap in aluminum foil, and put on the grill.

Turn every 10 minutes and cook for a total of 30 minutes. The water helps steam the corn and the butter, salt, and pepper give the corn a delicious buttery moist taste as it is grilled. I love it when the kernels get slightly charred. Gives it a great taste!

A different way to grill corn with the husk off is to husk the corn, rinse, and then boil until just done. Then put the corn directly on a hot grill and brush with melted butter. Broil the corn until the tips of the kernels just start to brown.

Brush with melted butter again when done and season as desired. This method allows you to start the corn cooking while grilling the main course, and then to finish the corn off on the grill, giving it that distinctive grilled flavor.

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Grilled Corn On The Cob Without Husks

Try this recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn

For super tasty bits of char and caramelization on the cob, simply shuck the corn and cook it directly on the grill. Because it’s not protected by a husk or a sheet of foil, the corn will cook a bit quicker, so watch it closely and turn it frequently. For this recipe, Chef John briefly boils the husked corn and then grills it for a few minutes until it’s beautifully caramelized. To give it a spicy Mexican-style finish, he coats the corn with a flavorul mixture of mayo, lime juice, chile powder, and smoked paprika before serving. Watch the video to see how to make this recipe.

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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Search For The Right Corncobs

Grilling corn wrapped in the husk saves it from losing moisture or burning. As the husk contains some percentage of water, the heat evaporates it to form steam. Consequently, the steam helps in keeping the corn moist and juicier. Whereas the outer layer also works as a shield to protect kernels from burning.

On the contrary, when you plan to grill without the husk, there are more chances of burning or drying out. To avoid this, you need to find the freshest corn available in the market. It is better to skip going to the supermarket. Instead, pay a visit to the farmers market or look out for roadside stands.

As a matter of fact, when the corncob is harvested, the sugar content in it undergoes certain enzymatic reactions which makes the corn blander and tough. Hence, buying freshly picked corn is the only way to ensure they will have the best taste and moisture level.

In case you find it difficult to choose a fresh ear of corn, heres what you need to look for:

• The husk of fresh corn is bright green and sometimes even damp.
• The husk should be tightly wrapped around the cob.
• The tassels on top of the cob should be brown and sticky. Black and dried out tassels are an indication of old cob.
• The kernels from the top of the husk should feel plump and full.
• Avoid buying a corncob with small brown holes on the husk. They are wormholes and of course, you wouldnt wish to grill corn with worms inside.

What You Need For Grilled Corn

Technically, you dont need anything extra. You could just grill the corn as is. But why not go the extra mile to make it that much better. Heres what Im using.

• Corn: Fresh ears of corn are best for this recipe
• Oil: If you plan on grilling the corn without the husk.
• Butter: Before serving, a little smear of butter on hot corn is the best.
• Sea Salt & Pepper: A sprinkle of flakey sea salt and ground black pepper elevates the natural sweetness of the corn.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

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Secrets Of Grilling Corn On The Cob

• Filed under Grilling Tips, Vegetables

Corn on the cob and grilling are two summer favorites. Grilled corn on the cob is a great addition to any grilled meal and grilling corn on the cob is easy to do. There are two main ways to grill corn on the cob, the first is with the husk off, and the second with the husk on.

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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How To Cook Corn On The Grill With The Husk On

Obviously, grilling corn in the husk is the easiest method of allthere’s literally zero prep. Just fire up the grill and get your corn over the coals. What could possibly be better? The corn will sort of steam inside the husk, which helps to keep it tender and bursting with fresh corn goodness. With a method this simpleno boiling, no tin foil, no nothingyou might already be guessing that the make or break thing in this recipe is the quality of the corn itself, and you’d be right. Buying the very best, freshest corn you can when the season is at its peaklate May through September in the U.S.is the most important thing you can do to lock in sure-fire grilled corn success. Once youve done that, you can pretty much rest assured that youre in for a delicious dinner. Heres how to grill corn on the cob:

How To Actually Grill The Corn

Grilling the corn over direct heat gives the corn ideal doneness. Much like throwing whole cobs into a campfire, the direct heat works with the husk to steam the corn to perfection. The husk is going to blacken and burn while the corn cooks, but dont worry this makes removing the husks even easier.

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Everything Youve Always Wanted To Know About Making Grilled Sweet Corn

In which we answer all of your burning questions about how to make grilled sweet corn:

• Are you supposed to boil corn before grilling? Short answer: no. Long answer? Many grilled corn recipes call for blanching the corn in water before grilling, but as long as youve got ripe, sweet peak-season corn its not necessary at all. Your corn should be sweet and tender and perfect as-is.

• How long do you grill corn? Itll take about 15 minutes to cook the corn. Keep an eye on itpretty easy to do, since youll be turning it every few minutes to help the whole cob cook evenly. Peek under the husk to check for doneness, and pull it off the heat when the kernels are tender.

• Whats the deal with making grilled corn in foil? Why you would remove natures perfect protective coating and replace it with foil is deeply confusing to us! Grilling corn in the husk is such a no-brainer, and its easy, too! No need to mess around with tin foil.

How To Shuck Corn

To shuck your corn, youll want to start by gripping the silk and leaves on top, and firmly pulling down to one side. Repeat pulling down the leaves and silk until your corn is exposed. I like to remove the silk, then bend my husks back and tie them into place with kitchen twine for a nice presentation. That being said, you can just as easily remove the leaves and silk entirely for a simpler method. The final step is to use a clean brush and gently brush over the corn kernels to remove any excess pieces of silk that might be remaining.

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How To Cook Corn On The Grill

No gas stove? No problem! You can easily grill corn on the cob on an outdoor grill or even in a grill pan!

• Prepare the corn. Shuck the corn, taking care to remove all corn silk.
• Grill the Corn over High Heat. Preheat your grill to high. Once hot , arrange the corn on the grates and cook until charred to your liking. Be sure to turn often to cook and char all sides of the corn. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Season and serve. Run the lime all over the corn cob then finish with red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper to taste.