This grilled corn on the cob is ears of fresh corn that are cooked until charred and caramelized, then brushed with garlic and herb butter. A quick and easy side dish that’s perfect for summer entertaining.
You can’t go wrong with corn during the summer time, some of my favorite preparations include Mexican corn salad, black bean corn salad and this simple yet satisfying grilled corn. Serve your corn alongside other summer time favorites such as dill potato salad, bbq pork chops, grilled shrimp skewers or grilled chicken tenders for a memorable meal!
When summer comes around and grilling season begins, I always want to grill up fresh ears of corn. There is something amazing about corn on the cob in summer where the corn is just a little sweeter and has just a little more flavor. Not only do I love grilled corn, but my kids think its so much fun to eat grilled corn on the cob.
This corn is one of my favorite grilling recipes. If you want more recipes for the grill, check out my grilled mushrooms, grilled zucchini and grilled scallops! If you want Mexican style corn on the cob check out my recipe for Mexican street corn (elote).
Grilled Corn On The Cob Ingredients
To make this grilled corn on the cob recipe you will need ears of corn, olive oil, butter, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Grilled Corn on The Cob?
This grilled corn on the cob recipe starts with fresh shucked corn on the cob. Brush your corn with a little olive oil, then place it on the hot grill to cook for about 8-10 minutes. Be sure to turn your corn frequently so that all of the sides will cook evenly. Next, make a butter sauce by mixing together butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped thyme, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Melt the butter sauce. Finally, when the corn is close to done, brush the butter mixture over the corn. You can enjoy the corn on the cob or slice it off the cob.
Tips For The Perfect Corn On The Cob
- If you don’t have an outdoor grill or you want to cook inside, you can cook your corn on a stove top grill pan.
- Make sure you turn your corn as it cooks. You want to cook the corn until it starts to get grill marks and a little char from the grill grates then rotate it to get grill marks around the corn.
- You will notice a color change as to corn cooks. The cooked corn will be more vibrant. You can use this color change to make sure all your corn cooks.
- There is no need to cook the corn in aluminum foil if you turn the cooking corn frequently.
- You can use grilled corn sliced off the cob for salads and vegetable dishes like cheesy corn dip, corn salsa and avocado corn salad.
Quick Tip
For this grilled corn on the cob recipe, you can use yellow, white or bi-color corn.
Recipe FAQs
As soon as corn is picked, the sugars in the kernels start to convert to starch. It’s best to eat your corn as soon as possible when you bring it home from the store. You can store your corn on the cob in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days. I recommend leaving the corn in its husk until you’re ready to cook it.
Yes, you can grill corn on the cob without corn husks. I find that it is quicker and easier to grill shucked corn on the cob directly on the grill. You simply have to turn the cobs as they cook.
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How To Choose Corn
This is a simple recipe, so the better the ingredients, the better the recipe will turn out. You want to make sure that your corn is fresh so that it will have maximum flavor. When you’re at the store, look for corn that has brown silk coming out the top that’s slightly sticky. If the silk is black or very dry, the corn is less likely to be fresh. The husk should be bright green and fresh looking. Peel back the top of the husk to check for plump and good looking kernels. In addition, you can feel the corn through the husk to make sure the kernels are full and that there are no holes where kernels are missing.
How To Shuck Corn
To shuck your corn, start by gripping the silk and leaves on top, and firmly pulling down to one side. Repeat pulling down the leaves and silk until your corn is exposed. I like to remove the silk, then bend my husks back and tie them into place with kitchen twine for a nice presentation. You can also remove the leaves and silk by cutting it with a knife or breaking it off by hand. You can use a clean brush to gently remove any excess pieces of silk that might be remaining.
Grilled Corn On The Cob Variations
- Cilantro Lime: Use chopped fresh cilantro instead of parsley, and add 1/4 teaspoon lime zest and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder to your butter mixture.
- Italian Herb: Add 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning along with 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese to the seasoned butter recipe.
- Bacon: Sprinkle finely diced crumbled bacon over the corn cobs.
- Spicy: Mix some hot sauce into your butter mixture or sprinkle chili powder over your corn.
I make grilled corn all summer long, it’s my favorite way to enjoy this delicious seasonal treat!
More Great Summer Side Dishes
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
20 mins
Grilled Vegetables
25 mins
Zucchini Gratin
40 mins
Cucumber Tomato Salad
11 mins
Cherry Tomato Salad
16 mins
Love This Recipe?
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Grilled Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 8 ears corn shucked
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium heat.
- Brush the olive oil all over the corn.
- Place the corn on the grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until kernels are starting to brown, turning occasionally. The total cook time is about 8-10 minutes.
- Place the butter, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Microwave in 30 second increments until butter is melted. Stir to combine.
- Brush the butter mixture over the grilled corn. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you don’t have an outdoor grill or you want to cook inside, you can cook your corn on a stove top grill pan.
- Make sure you turn your corn as it cooks. You want to cook the corn until it starts to get grill marks and a little char from the grill grates then rotate it to get grill marks around the corn.
This grilled corn on the cob was so yummy to make at our family bbq. Everyone loved it, we can’t wait to make this again!
This was the perfect side dish with my family, we loved the extra flavor grilling the corn gave.
Yum!! We make corn all the time & I love grilling it! It adds a nice flavor & that butter spread is so good!!
Easy and delicious! My kind of cooking!
Corn is really cheap here now and this has become my new favorite corn recipe!
We really enjoyed this recipe! So tasty and easy!
This side dish looks really great! Definitely having this on our table , such a great addition!
We added marjoram and sage into the melted butter for grilled corn and zucchini. Adds an extra amount of pizazz to the flavor profile!
Always a great side dish for summer. Love the added touch of garlic, too.
This will make the perfect side for any dish!
Loved this recipe so much! It has quickly become a family favorite and was delicious with our barbecue dinner last night!
This tastes amazing, and really goes well with barbecue! Definitely making this again
The perfect summer dish! I should try your recipe!
I love corn on the cob. And, your corn on the cob recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. I can’t wait to try this grill recipe.
Nothing better than corn on the cob in the summer! So easy and delicious; I’m saving this to make with dinner tonight!
Summer time is corn time – this looks like a great and easy way to prepare it!
Such an easy way to just throw them on the grill especially during the summer months. Love it!