How to cook corn on the cob: the best ways! Try these easy methods to cook, grill, oven roast and more.
Summer means corn on the cob, and there’s nothing like digging into those first bites of sweetness. Here we have mastered the art of summer corn cooking. After all, we live in the American Midwest!
There are different methods of cooking corn on the cob, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Browse these methods below and choose the one that works for you! Perfectly grilled corn is our go-to choice, but we also often cook it boiled and oven-roasted. Below the list, we have a trick for slicing corn on the cob (that’s awesome!) and a few ways to serve it.
How long to cook corn on the cob? Boil it in rapidly boiling water for 5 minutes. Grill the scales directly on the grates for 12-15 minutes over medium-high heat or wrapped in foil for 20-25 minutes. Read on for more details.
How to Cook Corn on the Cob: The Best Ways!
Here’s a basic skill everyone should know: how to cook corn on the cob! This proven method is the easiest way to do it. Seasoned with butter, salt, and pepper, this truly is a classic American side dish. The best part of summer is sinking your teeth into these golden, juicy bites!
Advantages: Big juicy taste, easy method
The disadvantages: You have to wait for a pot of water to boil; The taste is simple
Total time: 20 minutes (including boiling water)
Get the recipe
Our favorite way to cook corn on the cob? There’s nothing better than grilled corn! It’s smoky, tender, charred, and sweet: a crunchy blast that hits every taste bud on your tongue. If you don’t roast corn on the cob like that: you haven’t lived (yet!).
Advantages: Best smoke flavor, delicious crispy texture
The disadvantages: Do you have a grill, the cooking method is convenient and requires turning
Total time: 30 minutes (including warm-up time)
Get the recipe
Want a way to cook corn on the cob that’s mostly hands-free? Use the slide method! You can essentially “set it and forget it” while you prepare the rest of your grilled dinner. The corn comes out moist and juicy, not smoked and charred like the grilled method above.
Advantages: Mainly manual method after the corn is hulled
The disadvantages: Must have a grill, won’t come out as smoky as the method above
Total time: 30 minutes (including warm-up time)
Get the recipe
Here’s a unique method that won us over: grilling corn in the husk! It takes a bit of skill, but the result is a fantastic taste: beautifully juicy and smooth, with a nutty undertone from roasting in the shell.
Advantages: Makes moist, juicy corn (like the foil method) with a hint of charred nuttiness (like the grill grate method).
The disadvantages: Longer preparation and cooking time compared to the grate method, and cooking is slightly more uneven
Total time: 50 minutes (including warm-up time)
Get the recipe
You want corn on the cob and you want it now? Here’s a quick way to cook it: in the microwave! It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s as good as cooking.
Advantages: Fastest method, makes corn juicy similar to boiled corn
The disadvantages: You can only cook 4 corn on the cob at a time; You must ensure that all ears are cooked
Get the recipe
Did you know that corn on the cob is one of the easiest ways to cook? in the oven? This one changes that. There’s literally no prep time: you don’t even have to peel it! Toss it on the oven rack to roast and it comes out nice and juicy. One recipe tester said, “This is heaven! The corn was perfectly cooked.
Advantages: Totally practical method, the taste is delicious and smooth
The disadvantages: Longer cooking method, the taste is not as delicious as grilled, but better than boiled!
Total time: 40 minutes (including warm-up time)
Get the recipe
There aren’t many vegetables that are The Perfect for cooking on a smoker. But throw in corn on the cob and the effect is brilliant. Every bite is an explosion of sweet, buttery and salty smoke. When you serve this to your guests, we guarantee the first word out of their mouth will be “Wow.”
Advantages: The taste is amazing!
The disadvantages: Longest cooking method, requires special equipment (a smokehouse)
Total time: 1 hour (including warm-up time)
Get the recipe
Ways to flavor corn on the cob
Once you’ve cooked your corn on the cob, it’s time to garnish it! There are many ideas for corn on the cob toppings, but we like to keep it simple with these flavors:
- butter and salt. There is nothing better than the classic! Add an extra pinch of smoked paprika powder and finely chopped parsley.
- Mexican street corn (aka elote). This Elote recipe is our favorite: Sprinkle the corn with a creamy lime sauce and chilli powder and crumble the cheese on top.
- Old Bay. This popular spice mix is perfect for corn and gives mega flavor.
- Feta, parmesan and chopped fresh basil. A simple topping of butter and two cheeses makes the fresh corn sing.
How to cut corn on the cob
Planning to serve your corn in a salad? You must chop this corn right off the cob. But if you’ve ever tried it, you know it’s extremely messy! Here’s our method for slicing the corn from the cob that collects those kernels in a neat heap:
- Take a tube pan. Place the tip of the corn on the cob in the hole in the center of the pan. Hold the bottom of the corn firmly with your non-cutting hand. (Don’t have one yet? Learn more here.)
- Cut down. Use a large chef’s knife to slice in a downward motion so the corn kernels collect neatly in the tube pan.
More corn on the cob recipes
Looking to use your corn creatively? These corn recipes show the best ways to use seasonal corn on the cob in soups, salads, and more:
The description
How to cook corn on the cob: the best ways! Try these easy methods to cook, grill, oven roast and more.
- Cooked: Add 1 tablespoon of salt to a large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. It takes around 15-20 minutes so plan accordingly. Shell the corn and remove the silk.
When the water is boiling, add the corn on the cob to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until light yellow and cooked through. Season with butter, salt and pepper. - Goal: Heat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Shell the corn by peeling and holding the outer layers one at a time, face down, away from the cob. When you’re done, use kitchen twine or twine to tie the leaves together (see photos). This step is optional; It’s a natural handful to eat the corn. Otherwise just peel the corn. Using your hands, rub the oil evenly over each cob. Place the corn directly on the cooking grates and cook until it begins to blacken, then flip. Cook until black on all sides, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Serve immediately with butter and salt, and use the bound peels as a handle for easy tasting.
- Grilled en papillote: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit).
peeling corn. Place each ear of corn in a sheet of aluminum foil. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Garnish with a few fine knobs of butter (½ tablespoon per packet). Seal the foil around the corn, sealing the edges at the top but not too tight. Punch a few small holes in each packet. Place packets on cooking grates and grill for 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is light yellow and cooked through. - Roast in the oven: Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a knife or kitchen shears, trim the excess corn silk from each cob. Remove all outer shell parts. Place the cobs with the shells directly on the oven racks, spreading evenly. Bake 35 minutes. Remove the corn from the oven and let it cool slightly before removing the husks. Season to taste (we like butter or olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper).
- Category: garnish
- Method: Different
- Kitchen: Corn
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: How to cook corn on the cob
