How to Make Grilled Corn on the Cob

How to grill corn on the cob - this method saves you from boiling the corn and adds a smoky flavor to the corn!

Several ears of corn, still in their husks, are being roasted over an open flame on a grill, with fire and charred husks visible.
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Corn is a great side dish for any occasion, but nothing beats the roasted, smoky flavors of some properly made grilled corn on the cob. You can’t go wrong by serving this with some steaks or burgers or even just eaten on its own with plenty of butter.

For more tasty Corn recipes, why not try some Corn Fritters? Or maybe some Creamed Corn instead? 

Several ears of corn, still in their husks, are being roasted over an open flame on a grill, with fire and charred husks visible.

Grilling Corn on the Cob

Corn is not just the clearly superior tortilla ingredient, nor does it just come from those little metal cans. Real, authentic grilled corn on the cob just hits you differently compared to any other way of eating corn.

While it might seem a bit off-putting when you realize how much butter you need to really slather your corn properly, don’t skimp on laying it on thick – the butter is really where you get all of the incredible flavors.

Ingredients

Check the recipe card at the bottom for the exact amounts needed here.

• Ears of corn (keep the husks on)

• Salted butter

• Salt & pepper

How To Make Grilled Corn on the Cob

  • Gently pull back the husks of the corn, making sure the corn is healthy, and there is no rot
  • Cover the corn with water completely in a container big enough to fit the corn lying horizontally
  • Soak the corn for 3 hours minimum
  • Dry the corn completely and then place it onto the grill, cooking it at 350 Fahrenheit, turning every 5 minutes, for 30 minutes
  • The corn is done when the outside is charred, but the corn is still tender inside
  • Cool until you can handle it safely, then peel the husks and serve with butter and seasonings 
Close-up of an ear of corn with a pat of butter melting on top and sprinkled with coarse salt.

What Type Of Grill Should You Use To Grill Your Corn?

It is an age-old debate: gas-fired or charcoal-burning grills? While the likes of Hank Hill might insist on the superiority of propane for all things grilled, there really is nothing quite like the delicious smokiness of a proper charcoal barbeque.

If you only have a gas range grill, then you will be perfectly fine, and you will cook some really tasty corn on the cob.

However, if you are lucky enough to have a proper charcoal burning pit or chimney smoker or grill, definitely pick that over any propane.

The smoky, rich charcoal smoke will imbue your corn with so much intense flavor that you wouldn’t get otherwise, and it will contrast beautifully with the rich fattiness of the butter.

How To Make Your Grilled Corn Even More Delicious

If you are a true grilled corn aficionado, you will quickly grow tired of the simple butter, salt, and pepper combination that most cooks reach for when making corn.

While incredibly delicious, sometimes you just want something a bit more intensely flavored and interesting, right?

To really amp up your grilled corn, why not try making compound butter? A few hours before you plan on grilling corn, take some softened butter and mix in whatever flavorings, seasonings, and spices you want.

A great, simple compound butter would be a little bit of minced butter, some finely minced shallot, and any aromatic herb like rosemary or thyme.

Or you could make it a bit more Mexican in feel by mixing in paprika, cayenne, and cumin along with your garlic!

Choose any flavoring combinations that you like the taste of, and you can’t really go wrong.

Looking for more delicious Side Dish recipes? Try these out:

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Several ears of corn, still in their husks, are being roasted over an open flame on a grill, with fire and charred husks visible.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

How to grill corn on the cob – this method saves you from boiling the corn and adds a smoky flavor to the corn!
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Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 223

Ingredients 

  • 4 large ears of corn, husks on
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Pull back the husks of the corn slightly, just enough to check if the corn is okay inside.
  • Place the corn into a container and cover with water completely. Let the corn soak for 3-4 hours, or even all day if you want to prepare it in the morning
  • Preheat your BBQ grill to 350 °F.
  • Place the corn, with the husks still on, onto the grill. Cook, turning every 5 minutes or so, for 30 minutes or until the corn is tender inside. The outside will char, that is normal and fine!
  • Remove and let cool enough to handle safely, then remove the husks. (they will still be hot inside be careful). If desired, return the corn cobs to the grill and grill them until charred on some of the kernels.
  • Serve with butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 617IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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