Nothing says summer to me quite like fresh, juicy Grilled Corn on the Cob. I have great memories as a child of horseback riding along a local cornfield and trying to pick a cob as I rode by. Back then, I would peel and eat it right there on horseback. But now, I find it tastes even better cooked on the grill! I grill my corn right in the husk so it steams to juicy perfection. Daubed with a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of salt, this grilled corn tastes like summer!
Corn is such an interesting food because when fresh, it’s considered a starchy vegetable, but once dried it becomes a grain. It’s so versatile and flavorful all on its own, and I wanted to showcase that with this grilled corn on the cob recipe. I flavored it simply with butter and salt to really let that sweet corn flavor shine!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make grilled corn on the cob:
- Corn: Sweet corn is available in yellow, white, or bicolored. Bicolored, or “butter sugar” corn has the best balance of rich corn flavor with a touch of sweetness.
- Water: Soaking the corn in cool water hydrates the husks to help steam the corn and prevent them from catching on fire.
- Canola Oil Spray: Helps the corn husks cook without burning.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the natural sweet flavor of the corn.
- Butter: Adds richness to the corn.
Is It Better To Grill Corn In Foil Or Not?
While many folks like grilling their corn in foil, I chose to use the corn’s natural husk to get a similar effect with less cost and waste. The husk protects the corn from burning and helps it steam so it stays nice and moist.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet and juicy grilled corn on the cob pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, stovetop baked beans, homemade hamburgers, or turkey burgers! It’s also the perfect base for street corn topped with mayonnaise, lime crema, chili powder, and Cotija cheese!
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Servings 4 (1 cob each)Ingredients
- 4 ears corn, husks on ($2.40)
- Water ($0.00)
- Canola oil spray ($0.06)
- 1 tsp sea salt ($0.05)
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.64)
Instructions
- Soak 4 ears of corn in cool water for a least 10 minutes.
- Gently peel back the green husks half way and remove the silks only, leaving the fibrous green husks intact. Cover the exposed corn with the husks. This will ultimately “steam” the corn as it grills!
- Spray grill lightly with canola oil and grill corn cobs on high heat, turning every 2-4 minutes until all sides of the outer husks are equally charred. The corn inside should turn a more brilliant yellow and take on some extra color from the grill.
- Enjoy with a little melted butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, using the peeled back husk as your handle.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Nutrition
how to Grill Corn On The Cob – step by step photos
Soak 4 ears of corn in cool water for a least 10 minutes.
Gently peel back the green husks half way and remove the silks only, leaving the fibrous green husks intact. Cover the exposed corn with the husks. This will ultimately “steam” the corn as it grills!
Spray grill lightly with canola oil and grill corn cobs on high heat, turning every 2-4 minutes until all sides of the outer husks are equally charred. The corn inside should turn a more brilliant yellow and take on some extra color from the grill.
Enjoy with 1 Tbsp melted butter and 1/4 tsp sea salt, using the peeled back husk as your handle.
This grilled corn on the cob is Summer on a plate!
Hi: As a Diabetic I always view the nutrition facts on every recipe. Respectfully, the carbohydrate count for a corn on the cob, isn’t correct. You have it listed as only 1 gram!
The correct amount of carbohydrate grams for one corn on the cob, is between 17 grams to 30 grams! This amount of grams depends on the size of the cob; i.e., length of cob, circumference, and size of the kernals. I know that you use a software program to calculate the nutrition of your recipes. Respectfully, however, someone on the team should double check everything.
Hey KBG, you are correct– I believe there are roughly 41 grams of carbohydrates in a typical ear of corn! I will double check with our team to make sure that is working correctly. Thanks for your feedback!
you guys really aren’t trying to do anything creative anymore. this was my favorite food blog, but instead of interesting recipes on a budget, it’s now the most basic of boring stuff. try harder or quit please.
Hi Caitlin! I’m so sorry you feel that way! We’re really striving to be a one stop shop for people and you’d be surprised how many people are new to grilling (or cooking in general!) and we want to be able to walk you through things like grilling corn on the cob, chicken, etc. I appreciate that not every post is going to be for everyone, but I’m sure there’s still a lot of fun stuff you’ll love! Just a couple weeks ago we posted some bomb Kimchi Spring Rolls you might want to check out, and keep your eyes peeled Friday for a fresh Watermelon Gazpacho!
Hey, Caitlin. I really hope you enjoy some of the more technical recipes coming down the pipeline. We appreciate you!
This. It seems like having a bunch of contributors has made this page less reliable for good recipes. They’re more hit and miss, and many seem unnecessary like a simple grilled vegetable… not something you’d really expect to see on a successful established food blog.
Hi, Caitlin. I’m sorry you feel this way. We try to have a mixture of super simple recipes that anyone can cook on a budget as well as more technical recipes for readers who have been cooking their entire lives. I hope you find another recipe that speaks to your skill level. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
This time of year, sweet corn should be even cheaper! This is a great way to cook it! A tip–never husk the corn in the store unless you plan to cook it within hours. No matter how you want to fix it, the husks keep the ears fresher than plastic bags. I also like to use a light sprinkle of Tajin spice mix to season corn. Sold as a “fruit spice,” it’s light on chili, heavy on lime. Some stores have it in the produce department while others shelve it either with spices or ethnic foods. It’s also delicious on watermelon, fresh ripe peaches, grilled chicken, fish or shrimp. You can even use it as a flavor for compound butter to put on just about anything.
Yum, I love Tajin. The yellow habanero one is awesome on avocado (and as a salt rim for fresh margaritas!)