Description
Grilled summer charred corn on the cob celebrates seasonal sweetness with smoky Mexican-inspired flavors. Chili powder, lime, and cotija cheese elevate simple corn into a memorable street-style side dish you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 ears sweet corn
- 2 cups (470 ml) water
- 4 tbsps (¼ cup or 60 ml) butter
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Husk Preparation: Gently peel back two layers of green husks from corn, leaving some natural covering intact to protect kernels during grilling.
- Moisture Immersion: Submerge corn completely in water for one hour, ensuring kernels remain hydrated and preventing rapid charring during cooking.
- Grill Setup: Heat outdoor grill to 450°F (232°C), creating optimal charring environment with direct heat zones.
- Grilling Technique: Position corn directly on hot grates, rotating every 5 minutes to ensure even caramelization and prevent burning, maintaining total grill time around 20 minutes.
- Charring Completion: Remove corn when kernels display golden-brown exterior with slightly blackened edges, allowing brief cooling period for safe handling.
- Seasoning Finale: Carefully fold back grilled husks, revealing perfectly roasted kernels, then lavishly brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt, cracked black pepper, or freshly chopped herbs for enhanced flavor profile.
Notes
- Soak for Success: Submerging corn in water for an hour prevents quick burning and ensures juicy, tender kernels during grilling.
- Heat Management: Maintain a consistent 450°F grill temperature to achieve perfect charred exterior without drying out the corn.
- Strategic Rotation: Turn corn every 5 minutes to create even, golden-brown char marks and prevent uneven cooking or burning.
- Flavor Enhancement: Remove husks carefully after grilling and immediately add butter and seasonings while corn is still warm for maximum taste absorption.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Side Dish
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg