Have you ever made grilled corn on the cob? It's the unmistakable taste of summer-sweet, lightly charred, and incredibly juicy. Bite into golden kernels with a soft crunch and a burst of fresh corn flavor. If you've never tried it, I'll show you how to grill corn on the cob so it turns out perfectly every time. Finish it with garlic herb butter and plenty of napkins-this easy recipe is guaranteed to become a summer staple.
While boiling corn is classic, grilling corn on the cob takes it to another level. Some recipes wrap the corn in foil or grill it in the husk, but I prefer placing the ears directly on hot grill grates. It's simple, less messy, and gives the kernels a little char for the best grilled corn flavor. And when smeared with that garlic herb butter? Heavenly.
↓ Recipe
Why You'll Like Grilled Corn on the Cob
- Super easy - Fresh corn goes straight on the grill grates, no foil or husks needed.
- Sweet, smoky flavor - Grilling caramelizes the corn's natural sugars, boosts its sweetness, and adds a little smoky char.
- Garlic herb butter - The easy compound butter is terrific on corn and works with other dishes too. Simple melted butter works if you want to keep it basic.
- Any grill works - Make it on a gas grill, charcoal grill, or pellet grill.
Make a few extra ears of grilled corn on the cob, slice the corn kernels off the corn cobs, and make this terrific tomato, green bean, and corn salad
Ingredients You'll Need
Really all you need it fresh corn on the cob and a little olive oil, but the garlic herb butter so delicious! Summer is peak season for fresh corn, a great time to make grilled sweet corn.
- Corn on the cob - Buy the freshest corn possible. Use pre-shucked corn for ease, or buy ears in the husk and clean them yourself.
- Oil - Use a little olive oil or avocado oil to lightly brush the corn before grilling.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter for the garlic herb butter, or salted butter and skip the added salt. Good butter really shines here. Plain melted butter works too.
- Herbs - Fresh herbs are best, but dried herbs work in a pinch. Try parsley, cilantro, chives, thyme, rosemary, or your favorite combination.
- Garlic - Use fresh garlic or granulated garlic. If using fresh, grate it finely with a microplane so it blends smoothly into the butter.
For measurements and seasoning please see the recipe card.
Chef's Tip - How to Buy Fresh Corn:
Choose ears that feel firm and slightly damp, with bright green husks wrapped tightly around the corn. The silks can be a little brown at the top, but avoid corn with black, dry, or shriveled silks. Store corn wrapped in a plastic produce bag in the crisper drawer and use within 2-3 days. As corn ages, its natural sugars turn to starch, so it becomes less sweet. For the best flavor, grill it as soon as you can.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add cheese - Sprinkle hot grilled corn with finely grated Parmesan cheese or cotija.
- Mexican street corn style - Brush with a little mayo or crema, then add cotija, chili powder or Tajín, lime juice, and cilantro.
- Spiced herb butter - Add cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, or lime zest to the garlic herb butter.
- Dry rub finish - Sprinkle grilled corn with your favorite multipurpose dry rub for extra flavor, or simply smoked paprika.
How to Grill Corn on the Cob
First, shuck your corn on the cob and brush off the silk. A soft toothbrush works great. You know, the extra ones you end up with from the dentist. Yep, those. Be sure the grill grates are clean and ready to go.
Serving Suggestions
Grilled corn on the cob is the perfect summer side for chicken, seafood, and steak.
For a Mexican street corn variation (elote), brush hot corn with a mix of sour cream and mayo, then sprinkle with cheese and chili powder or taco seasoning. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Cotija cheese is traditional, but Parmesan is a good substitute.
Chef's Note: Is corn a vegetable or grain? Essentially it's a large grass, so corn is a grain. Ask a botanist and they'll tell you it is a fruit like tomatoes and zucchini. In your dietary choices, think of corn as you would rice or pasta. Corn contains B vitamins and essential minerals, including zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. Each cob provides almost 3 grams each of fiber and protein.
Recipe FAQs
It's personal preference, but I prefer grilling corn directly on the grates. Direct heat gives the corn a little char and caramelization. Foil works too, but the corn steams more than grills.
Grill corn with the lid closed, turning the cobs every few minutes so they cook evenly and get lightly charred.
Absolutely. Pre-shucked corn saves time and mess, though it usually costs more. To prep ahead, shuck the corn, wrap it well, and refrigerate until close to grilling time.
No. Soaking is usually for grilling in the husk. For direct grilling, just peel and go.
Try These Summer Salads With Corn
What else to do with fresh summer corn? Make dairy-free creamy corn chowder. Grill extra corn and use it in the corn succotash, recipe link below.
⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make grilled corn on the cob, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Garlic Herb Butter
Ingredients
Garlic herb butter (makes extra)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature sub coconut butter or plant butter, note below.
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or mint
- ¼ teaspoon granulated or powdered garlic or 1 small fresh clove, zested very fine
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Corn
- 4 large ears fresh corn on the cob preferably organic, see links below
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Start by making your butter. Be sure it's a room temperature before you start. If it's cold, place in the microwave on a very low heat setting for 15-20 seconds until soft, but do not melt it. Combine butter through salt (if using) until smooth. If using at a later time, refrigerate until before serving. Let it stand a little while at room temperature so it spreads easily while the corn is hot.
- To clean corn, peel husks back like a banana peel. Strip off the corn silk and discard. A soft toothbrush works great to clean off the silk. Trim end if needed with a sharp knife.
- Heat up the grill to high and clean the grates with a grill brush. Brush ears with a little olive oil. Place cobs on grill and close lid. Check and turn ever few minutes with a pair of tongs. You want even charring or blackened kernels on all side. How much is up to you. It takes around 22-25 minutes over all. Serve hot, smeared with spiced herb butter.
Notes
Nutrition
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Mark Spend says
A food from great American traditions, loved and appreciated. We the Iowans, work too much to care our corn-fields.
As being a farmer, I would suggest everyone to take interest in agricultural activities, because we would never want to face a short of anything, we can grow.
I am developing a blog here, where I would put necessary stuff in form of questions and answers. You loved ones are requested to encourage me.
http://www.easylessoneasylife.blogspot.com
Thanks
Mark Spend
A Farm Lover
Sally Cameron says
Hi Mark, thank you for being a farmer. I'm glad to leave your comment as long as you are a NON-GMO farmer when it comes to corn. If you grow GMO, no thanks! I believe in organic corn only.
Sally says
Maggie, ha! That could have been a great title for the post - naked grilled corn! Great! I may have to change the post title!
Ami@NaiveCookCooks says
I love eating grilled corn and that first pic with corn and butter looks so mouth watering delicious!!
Crystal | Apples & Sparkle says
These photos are stunning! I can just imagine how delicious these are! : )