Years ago, when our kids were small, we lived in Salt Lake City. Every year around the Fourth of July, we loved to go to Taylorsville Dayzz. They would have the Utah Symphony perform during a fireworks show, along with tons of food vendors. We loved it.
One year, there was a booth selling grilled corn on the cob. It was THE BEST corn on the cob I’ve ever had. Sadly, the next year we went back and the vendor wasn’t there (and I never got a picture of it). Ever since, every summer when the corn comes on, I find myself wishing for that amazing yumminess, and never being able to find it.
So…I’m on a mission to try to create the perfectly grilled corn on the cob recipe. I think no matter what recipe you use, it’s important to start with a really fresh and young corn.
This can be a daunting task. Growing up, my mom would separate husk at the crown of corn near the tassels to see what the corn looked like. You may want to do that with one ear to make sure that the kernels are fairly small and light in color. The later the corn was picked the larger the kernel and the more yellow the kernels will be. Once you decide the crop is young, if the ear has a good tassel and feels full, it’s probably a good ear.
I started my search for the perfect corn on the cob with straight up grilled corn. With this, I tried a new technic to husk the corn. I chopped of the bottom of the corn, microwaved it on high for 3 minutes, and then just peeled the husk off. The biggest benefit to this method was the husk and silk really did come off easier and were less messy. However, if you include the cook time, this is definitely a slower way to husk the corn.
From here, I cut the cob in half based on the crowd I was expecting. I brushed them with butter, and threw them on the grill for 3-5 minutes per side.
Finally, I put more butter on the corn and rolled it in Parmesan cheese. This was good, but I think we can do better.
My next attempt involved soaking the corn in the sink for about 2 hours, trimming the tassels and ends, and grilling them husk on.
After husking the corn, I rolled it in butter and either Cotija or Parmesan cheese. The corn itself turned out great, and the family preferred the Parmesan cheese to the Cotija, but it still wasn’t quite it, but much much closer to the corn I remembered.
For the third attempt, I again soaked the corn and grilled it husk on. I removed the husk as it came off while grilling, which allowed for a little char, but still steamed the corn. When it came off the grill, I smothered it in herb infused butter, then rolled it in Parmesan cheese. My friends, we have a winner! So the next time you have a summer barbecue, try this delicious recipe for corn on the cob.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
From the Kitchen of Lynnae Hymas
| Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min |
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 ears of fresh corn on the cob
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Paprika for sprinkling
- Parsley for sprinkling
Herbed Butter
- 2 cubes of softened butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon parsley
INSTRUCTIONS:
Soak the corn in the sink for at least 2 hours.
While the corn is soaking, you can make the herb butter. In a bowl, cream together the butter, garlic salt, dried basil, and parsley. Set aside.
After the corn has soaked, trim the ends of the corn and pull off the outer leaves. Put the corn on the grill for about 10 minutes until the outer leaves are charred, turning midway through. Remove the corn from the grill. Peel off the remaining leaves and corn silk. Slather in the herbed butter and roll in Parmesan cheese. To finish, sprinkle with paprika and parsley.
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