The Ultimate Way To Grill Corn

Summer corn is simply incredible. It is sweet, crunchy, light and satisfying. One of the best ways to cook corn, especially during the summer, is on the grill.

Grilling: Get Your Hands Dirty

Grilling the corn with no additional enhancements truly brings out its unique flavor.

What you need: Fresh corn

Instructions: Heat grill to medium heat. Place corn on grill and cook for about seven minutes per side, for a total of 14-15 minutes. Serve hot, with salt and pepper or Herb ‘Butter’ (recipe below) on the side.

Note: if you choose to grill the corn in their husks, remember to soak first in cold water for several hours.

The cooking method

The most common grilling methods for corn are one of the following ways:

In their husk (soak corn with husks in cold water for a few hours, so husks do not burn).
Wrapped in foil.
Peeled from husks, directly on the grill.

During our summer photo shoot, we had the luxury of trying all three methods, and had quite a crowd to analyze which method was best. We took an informal poll to see which method was the most preferred…

Scroll to continue

More Love

MORE: 11 Corn Off The Cob Cooking Hacks

the conclusion

The corn in the husks and the corn in foil turned out pretty similar. They didn’t really get a char from the grill due to the protective layer sur-rounding the corn, and the smoky grill flavor was very subtle in both. After tasting both types, we saw no reason to bother peeling the husks and wrapping the corn in aluminum foil; using the natural husks and protective layer of the corn left the corn juicy, tender and very sweet, and was also a healthier method due to the controversy of cooking with foil.

The downside: Lack of char and smoky grill flavor.On the other hand, grilling the corn directly on the heat yielded a completely different result. The corn had a stronger charred flavor and a more popcorn-like texture. This method was more popular among adult palates, while the kids (and some adults too) preferred the corn that was cooked in its husk. the downside: some did not like the texture of the charred corn.

optimal grilling method

To fuse the two methods and enjoy corn that is both tender and charred, we recommend grilling the corn in its husk for about 12 minutes on medium heat (6 minutes per side), removing the husks and placing the corn on a high heat grill for one minute per side. This will give you the best of both worlds.

ULTIMATE HERB BUTTER

This is a great condiment for grilled corn. Brush some over the corn immediately after grilling and it melts an herbaceous, flavorful, savory flavor into the sweet grilled corn. You can also use this ‘butter’ on steak, toasted bread, chicken or fish. It is extremely versatile and can stay fresh in the fridge for about a month. earth Balance ‘buttery’ spread was our base of choice as it was light, buttery and the healthiest option to boot.

Food stylist tip: Chaya Friedman, our incredibly talented food stylist, recommends peeling back the husks without pulling them off the corn, brushing some Herb Butter onto the corn, pulling the husks back up around the corn and grilling it. This allows the herb butter to melt into the corn and develop flavor while grilling.