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    How To Grill Corn On The Cob

    May 15, 2024

    The absolute best (and easiest) grilled corn on the cob recipe, plus four delicious toppings to serve with it.

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    4 grilled corn on the cob with different toppings: maple bourbon butter, chipotle mayo, spicy cotija cheese, & blue cheese
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    An Easy Way To Make Grilled Corn On The Cob

    Fresh off the grill, summertime sweet corn needs nothing—it’s a pure pleasure. Making a few specialty toppings (although plain butter is great) is a really fun way to serve grilled corn at a big barbecue and make it a really tasty side dish. Especially delicious on the side of Grilled Skirt Steak with Blistered Tomatoes and Burrata with a Fresh Berry Cobbler, to finish off the meal.

    a grilled corn on the cob with maple bourbon butter and crumbled bacon

    Four Toppings Worthy Of The Best Grilled Corn On The Cob

    This is less a recipe for grilling corn on the cob, and more of a way to discuss our favorite corn toppings. We love to serve grilled corn with sweet and savory toppings. Here’s a few of our greatest hits, with detailed instructions in the method section of the recipe:

    • Maple Bourbon Butter

    • Chipotle Mayo with Parmesan Cheese

    • Spicy Corn with Cotija Cheese

    • Blue Cheese Butter with Chives

    1 grilled corn on the cob with Chipotle Mayo, Parmesan Cheese and minced cilantro

    How To Grill Corn On The Cob

    Grilling corn is the easiest method of all—there's almost zero prep. Just fire up the grill, shuck your corn, and place it over the heat.

    1. Start your grill. Get some coals going or turn a gas grill to medium heat.

    2. Shuck the corn. Remove the husks and corn silks completely. You can leave a little bit of the stalk at the base of the corn–this gives you a convenient handle to use while grilling and eating the corn.

    3. Place corn on the grill. Use tongs to lay your shucked corn on the grill.

    4. Grill! Cover for about 15 minutes, turning the corn every five minutes.

    5. Done! The corn is done when the kernels are tender and juicy.

    6. Cool! Let the corn cool a bit and then let everyone feast!

    a grilled corn on the cob seasoned with butter, salt, chili powder, jalapeño, cilantro and Cotija Cheese

    How To Store Grilled Corn + Tips For Grilling Corn On The Cob

    • To store leftover grilled corn long term, it’s a good idea to cut the kernels off the cob and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a few months.

    • With a method this simple—no boiling, no tin foil, no nothing—the cornerstone of this recipe is the quality of the corn itself. Buying the very best, freshest corn you can when the season is at its peak—late May through September in the U.S.—is the most important thing you can do to lock in sure-fire grilled corn success.

    • Are you supposed to boil corn before grilling? Short answer: no. Long answer? Many grilled corn recipes call for blanching the corn in water (or a mixture of milk and water) before grilling, but as long as you’ve got ripe, sweet peak-season corn it’s not necessary at all. Your corn should be sweet and tender and perfect as-is.

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

    • What’s the deal with making grilled corn in foil? Grilling corn directly over the heat of your grill is such a no-brainer, and it results in a delicious char that only an open flame can create! No need to mess around with tin foil.

    a grilled corn on the cob with Blue Cheese Butter and Chives

    More Easy Corn Recipes From The Modern Proper

    4 grilled corn on the cob with different toppings: maple bourbon butter, chipotle mayo, spicy cotija cheese, & blue cheese

    We Hope You Have A Corntastic Day!

    For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!

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    How To Grill Corn On The Cob

    Updated on May 15, 2024

    • Serves:  8
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  15 min
    • Calories:  70
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    Ingredients

    Grilled Corn

    • 8 ears of corn, shucked

    Maple Bourbon Butter

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons bourbon
    • Pinch of sea salt
    • 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

    Chipotle Mayo with Parmesan Cheese

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
    • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives, plus more for serving
    • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
    • 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    Spicy Corn with Cotija Cheese

    • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 teaspoons chili powder
    • 4 tablespoons minced cilantro
    • 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño
    • 6 tablespoons crumbled Cotija cheese
    • 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

    Blue Cheese Butter with Chives

    • 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
    • 8 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
    • 8 fresh chives, finely chopped

    Method

    Grill the corn

    1. Preheat the grill on medium. Place the corn on the grill. Cover and cook, turning every 2-3 minutes, until kernels are tender, about 15 minutes total. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly.


    Maple Bourbon Butter with Bacon

    1. In the base of a food processor, combine the butter, maple, bourbon, and salt. Pulse until well combined.

    2. Spread the warm corn with the maple bourbon butter and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

    3. Extra bourbon butter will keep, stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.


    Chipotle Mayo with Parmesan Cheese

    1. In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, and chipotle peppers, and blend until smooth.

    2. Spread the warm corn with the chipotle mayo and sprinkle with the Parmesan and additional chives.

    3. Extra chipotle mayo will keep, stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.


    Spicy Corn with Cotija Cheese

    1. Spread the warm corn all over with butter. Sprinkle the corn all over with the salt and chili powder.

    2. Place the cilantro, jalapeño and cotija on a plate and toss to combine. Gently roll each corn cob through the cilantro mixture. Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing.


    Blue Cheese Butter with Chives

    1. In a small bowl, combine the butter and 4 tablespoons of the blue cheese.

    2. Spread the warm corn with the blue cheese butter. Sprinkle all over with the chives and remaining crumbled blue cheese.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 70
    • Protein 2 g
    • Carbohydrates 17 g
    • Total Fat 1 g
    • Dietary Fiber 2 g
    • Cholesterol 0 mg
    • sodium 3 mg
    • Total Sugars 6 g

    How To Grill Corn On The Cob

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Julie

      I don’t have a grill. Is there any way to get that char in the oven, stovetop or air fryer?

      You could broil the corn on the cob them broil it for a couple minutes to get the char. hope you enjoy!

    • jenn

      I tried the blue cheese butter with chives, oh my, best corn on the cob I've ever had!

      That's so great, so glad you liked it Jenn!