Grilled Corn on the Cob

How to Cook Corn on the Cob on the Grill

Cooking corn on the grill is very simple, and produces a much more intense and unique flavor than corn on the cob that is prepared by boiling in water. You don’t have to keep running to the kitchen, you can go straight from the grill to the patio table. In an earlier post, we presented the basic steps to grill corn on the barbecue.

Here is our illustrated guide to grilling corn on the cob.

What You Need:

Fresh corn on the cob
Butter or margarine and salt and pepper for serving
Also have a knife, cutting board and barbecue tongs on hand.

Step 1: Remove Excess Silk Husk

If you’ve ever cooked corn on the grill or over a fire, you probably found it burned a lot. Of course, this burning is only on the outside and generally doesn’t affect the corn. But to reduce burning and mess, removing the husk and cutting of the silk can go a long way.

Completely remove a few of the outer husks, then gently peel back the remaining husks and remove the silk. Re-cover the cob with the remaining husks.

Step 2: Soak Corn

To add moisture during cooking, soak the corn in water. To keep it submersed, you may want to place a heavy dish on top. Soak for about 30 minutes.

Step 3: Heat the Barbecue

Preheat the barbecue to about 350-400 degrees F.

Step 4: Dry the Corn

To get the corn ready to place on the grill, pat dry to remove any excess water.

Step 5: Grill

Place the corn on the grill, away from direct flame.

Rotate the corn every 5-10 minutes and grill for about 25 – 30 minutes.

Step 6: Get Ready to Serve

If you’ve kept your heat steady and didn’t place the corn over direct flame, your corn won’t be blackened as you may have seen it in the past. Remove the corn with tongs and let stand for a few moments. The husks are very hot!

When you’re ready, remove the husks, add butter and salt…and enjoy!

Tips:

For a more heart friendly meal, get rid of the butter or margarine, and try this topping:

2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped basil
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and have it on the table to be brushed in the corn at serving time.

Enjoy a wonderful meal of healthy grilled corn on the cob.