Perfect for summer when you barbecue for a large group or just for the family, my guide will show you exactly how to grill corn on the cob (without husks) to caramelized, sweet, smoky completion in under 30 minutes.
Corn is possibly the most versatile foodstuff on the planet. It can be creamed, it can be sweetened, it can be turned into corn nuggets, it can be milled into flour, and it can even feed animals. But grilling it, is one of my favorite ways to use it!
While a bit more complicated than just slapping a big piece of shucked corn on the grill and hoping for the best, it's an incredibly simple technique deriving from classic southern cooking.
I also made some easy tutorials for how to grill pizza and how to grill bread that you might like.
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🌽Ingredients
- ears of corn - shucked and rinsed
- butter - softened
- Mexican seasoning - can substitute with taco seasoning or burrito seasoning
- sea salt - can also use kosher or pink salt
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
♨️Instructions
Step 1. Clean and preheat grill.
To begin, clean and oil the grill grates.
For gas grill: Preheat BBQ to medium heat. Once preheated, turn off half of the burners for an indirect/direct heat source. This is so that you can use the indirect heat side to keep the finished cobs warm until serving.
For charcoal grill: Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of the grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and preheat for 5 minutes.
Step 2. Add cobs to grill. Place the cobs on the preheated grill.
Step 3. Brush with butter. Mix the softened butter with the Mexican seasoning. Brush the corn cobs with some of the butter mixture.
Step 4. Grill. Grill the cobs until they are tender and you start seeing the black grill marks on the bottom. This should take about 10 minutes.
Step 5. Turn and grill the other side. Turn them over, brush them with more of the seasoned butter and grill the other side for about 10 more minutes.
Step 6. Serve. The cobs can be kept warm on the indirect heat side of the BBQ. When ready to eat, remove the grilled corn cobs from the grill. Add more butter, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
🥗Serving Suggestions
Now you know how to cook corn on the cob with your outdoor grill. Whether it be gas or charcoal, you'll get a great result every time. Check out these ways to use your grilled corn.
- Serve it as a side dish to main dishes like carne asada (check out my tutorial for how to grill carne asada here), Cajun blackened chicken or grilled frozen burgers.
- Try cutting the smoky, grilled corn off of the cob and adding it to this tomatillo salsa.
- Add it to summer salads like this burrata cheese salad or creamy taco pasta salad.
❓Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
With this recipe, there is no need to soak the corn before grilling.
It takes about 10 minutes per side to grill shucked corn on the cob. It will turn out nice and tender with grill marks.
It is optional to close the lid. I tend to leave the lid open with the corn over the direct-heat side of the grill. You can keep the corn warm over the indirect heat side with the lid closed.
❤️More Cooking Tutorials You Will Love
If you tried this recipe tutorial for 🌽 How to Grill Corn on the Cob (Without Husks) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
How to Grill Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter - softened (½ of a stick)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning - or taco seasoning
- 8 ears corn - shucked and rinsed
- sea salt - can also use kosher salt or pink salt
Instructions
- To begin, clean and oil the grill grates. For gas grill: Preheat the BBQ grill to medium heat. Once preheated, turn off half of the burners for an indirect/direct heat source. This is so that you can use the indirect heat side to keep the finished cobs warm until serving.For charcoal grill: Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of the grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and preheat for 5 minutes.
- Mix the softened butter with the Mexican seasoning. Place the cobs on the grill and brush them with some of the Mexican seasoning butter.
- Grill the cobs until they are tender and you start seeing the black grill marks. This should be about 10 minutes per side. Half way through, turn them over and brush them with more of the seasoned butter.
- The cobs can be kept warm on the indirect heat side of the BBQ. When ready to eat, remove corn from grill. Add more butter, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
- With this recipe, there is no need to soak the corn before grilling.
- It is optional to close the lid. I tend to leave the lid open with the corn over the direct-heat side of the grill. You can keep the corn warm over the indirect heat side with the lid closed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Jer says
My lovely wife did these for me and it was amazing! More please.
Joss D says
What a nice wife you have. 🙂 Thanks for the comment!