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| Grilled corn with chili-cumin butter. |
I
used to throw corn on the barbecue and cook it until I thought it was done.
This method was not only hit-and-miss, but insured an over-cooked cob and
charred corn silk that stuck between my teeth. Learning how to properly grill
corn, however, has made all the difference in how I enjoy it.
Enjoyment
begins with selecting fresh, good-looking corn. I look for husks (outer
covering) that are bright green and fit snugly around each ear of corn. I then
peel back the husk, just a little, to see if the kernels are in tight rows
right up to the tip of the corn. If they aren’t, I replace that ear of corn and
look for another.
This
photo shows kernels that aren’t fully formed toward the tip. Again, no good.
You want kernels that are firm all the way up.
The next photo shows corn with rotten kernels. No good. Put it back.
Here’s
what a good ear of corn looks like when you get it home:
Preparing the
corn for the grill is easy. Begin by soaking the corn (and husks) in cold water
for 15 minutes. Be sure the corn is fully immersed in the water. This will provide extra moisture for
cooking. After soaking, remove
the corn from the water.
Here’s
how to grill the corn and where BBQ purists and I part ways. The purist will
say you should peel off all but one layer of husk, and all of the corn silk. I
find it hard to get all of the corn silk off the ear of corn while leaving
enough of the husk to cover the corn. So I make it easy. I peel all of the husk,
and scrub all of the corn silk off the ear of corn, before it goes on the
grill. Because the corn has absorbed moisture during it’s 15-minute water bath,
it still stays plump after it comes off the grill and it has plenty of wonderful grill marks.
So
once the corn is grilled and ready to eat, what do you serve with it? I like
grilled corn just fine without any
seasoning except maybe a little salt and/or pepper. More often than not,
however, I slather the hot corn with some kind of butter-based spread. I
recommend the chili-butter spread included below. There is something about the
combination of chili and cumin in this spread, especially when prepared with a
bit of honey, which is mighty tasty on grilled corn. Please try the
chili-butter at least once and, if you have a chance, let me know how you like
it!
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature – divided)
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon honey
6 ears of corn
Directions:
Preheat grill to medium heat (about 350 degrees).
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in small skillet over medium-low heat.
Add chile powder, cumin, and stir for ten seconds. Remove from heat and transfer
to medium bowl. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, honey, and
balance of the butter to bowl. Whip until smooth and transfer to a small
serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare corn for grilling by soaking in cold water for 15 minutes.
Remove corn from water, shake off excess water, and remove all husks and corn
silk.
Grill the corn until charred in spots, turning 3 or 4 times, for about
10 - 12 minutes. If you have a cover for the grill, put the cover down in
between each turning. Transfer corn to a large platter and serve with chili-cumin
butter on the side.