Grilled Corn On The Cob
Learn how to Grill Corn On The Cob In Foil for buttery, tender corn every time. This easy grilled corn recipe takes just 12 to 16 minutes and makes cleanup a breeze.
Grilled Corn On The Cob (The Best Way To Do It On The Grill!)
While we’ve given you a recipe for making boiled corn on the cob the very best it can be, the truth is that we almost always make corn on the cob on the grill. We’ve been perfecting this technique for 10 years.
If you’ve ever wondered how to grill corn on the cob without the husks (and without it drying out), foil packets are the move. The corn steams in the butter while still picking up a little grill-toasty flavor – and you don’t have to babysit it much at all.
This method works for gas or charcoal grills and makes grilled corn on the cob basically impossible to mess up.
Why You’ll Love Grilling Corn On The Cob
- Grilling brings out the natural sweetness of the corn and the golden brown kernels are irresistible.
- Wrapping the corn in foil allows it to simmer in a pool of butter. Like yes, we want a pool of butter for our corn.
- Easy cleanup! Throw the foil away and you’re done.
Grilled Corn Recipe Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- corn – you want the best fresh corn you can find, then you’ll need to shuck (peel) it and remove all of the corn silk.
- unsalted butter – needs to be at room temperature so you can easily slather it all over the corn! Olive oil works if necessary, butter is really best.
- kosher salt – seasons and helps bring out the natural sweetness of the corn.
- ground black pepper – adds a mild heat and depth to the corn flavor.
- aluminum foil – not an ingredient, but you’ll need this! We don’t bother buying the heavy-duty/grilling foil. Just the regular stuff works fine.
How To Prepare Corn For The Grill
Here in the Midwest, we buy the best corn fresh from the farms, the whole cobs still in the husk. So, there’s a bit of prep work involved before you can grill it:
- This is NOT a grilling method where you leave the husk on. We’re fully removing the husk.
- Be sure to remove all of the corn silk.
- Any sketchy bits (it happens) – cut these off.
How To Grill Corn On The Cob In Foil
1. PREP. Preheat the grill and tear a square of foil for each piece of corn.
2. BUTTER AND SEASON. Place one ear of corn on each square of foil and rub it all over with butter. Then, liberally sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
3. WRAP. Place each ear of corn at one edge of the foil and roll the foil up around the ear until it is enclosed. Twist both ends of the foil packets closed.
4. GRILL. Transfer the corn to the hot grill grates and cook until you can hear butter inside the packets sizzling, and the outside of the packets start to get light brown grill marks. Flip and rotate the corn every few minutes while it’s grilling.
5. SERVE. Use tongs to rip one end of each foil packet off, then slide the corn out of the open end and onto a serving platter.
How Long To Grill Corn On The Cob
Timing is key when grilling corn. Exact timing depends on the corn and your desired level of tenderness, but I’ve found that grilling the corn for 12 to 16 minutes usually results in tender corn with a bit of light char on some kernels that is super delicious.
If you start to hear the corn pop, or anything is beginning to smell burnt, remove the corn from the grill immediately.
What Temperature To Grill Corn On The Cob
Ideally, you’ll want to heat your grill to 400 to 450 degrees F to grill corn, but if you’re grilling something else at the same time and need to use a lower temperature, that is fine too (the corn will just need to cook longer).
We use direct heat grilling the entire time to get the best grill marks on the corn.
How To Know When Corn On The Cob Is Done On The Grill
As you start to grill corn more often, you’ll get a feel for how long it takes on your grill (every grill is a bit different). But until you get more confident, how do you know when to pull it?
The outside of the packets will start to get light brown grill marks as the corn cooks, but you’ll have to take a peek at the corn itself to confirm doneness. You’re looking for:
- You can hear butter sizzling inside the packet
- Abundant steam coming out of the packet when you open the foil.
- Bright yellow kernels that are tender when pierced with a knife or fork.
- Some corn kernels will have light char marks.
- It SMELLS like cooked corn!
Corn On The Barbecue Home Chef Tips
- This recipe was created for 4 ears of corn, but it’s easy to adjust it up or down depending on how many servings you want.
- I’ve tried my best to measure the amount of salt and pepper that I use for 4 ears, but it all depends on the size of the ears of corn! Use your best judgment, and know that you may not need all of the salt and pepper that is called for. Or you may need more.
- Feel free to add a bit of minced garlic, lime juice, paprika and/or chili powder to the corn packets (or use a herby compound butter) if you’re into that sort of thing!
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What To Serve With Corn On The Cob On The Grill
Grilled corn on the cob is super versatile and can become an ingredient in a larger recipe, or be served with a variety of bbq entrees and other side dishes. Some ideas include:
- Keep it classic by serving grilled corn on the cob with a hefty smear of butter (highly recommend our Homemade Butter Recipe) and a shower of salt and pepper.
- Use this corn recipe (cut off the cob!) as the starting point for a grilled corn salad or Mexican Street Corn Salad with cotija cheese, cilantro and mayo. No need to roast the corn, as it’s already cooked.
- Serve it as part of a complete summer meal along with burgers, grilled shrimp, or Greek Marinated Chicken and Dr. Pepper Baked Beans.
Storage And Reheating
- Refrigerate: If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Reheat: In the microwave, on a plate covered with a damp paper towel, in 30 second increments until heated through. You can also reheat on the grill – in foil packets again!
- Freeze: Cut kernels off the cobs, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, or warm directly in a skillet with extra butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a judgement call, but we’ve found that grilling with the corn husks off allows for easier seasoning and butter application. Wrapping the corn in foil offers a similar protective layer, but makes it simpler to handle and season.
Grilling corn in the foil helps ensure even cooking and prevents the corn from drying out, so we think grilling it in foil is better.
Soaking corn before grilling is optional but not necessary. Soaking can help prevent the corn from drying out if you are grilling it directly, without foil. But because the foil helps retain moisture, soaking isn’t necessary with the method below.
Most ears of corn take 12 to 16 minutes on the grill when wrapped in foil and cooked over medium-high heat.
Grill corn on the cob over medium-high heat, about 400 to 450 degrees F. You want the grill hot enough that the butter in the foil packets sizzles, but not so hot that the outside of the foil starts to burn before the corn is tender.
For this foil packet method, you can grill corn over direct heat, because the foil protects it and helps it cook evenly. If your grill runs very hot or has flare-ups, you can move the packets to indirect heat for the last few minutes to prevent scorching.
Yes – you can grill corn without foil directly on the grill grates after shucking it. Corn grilled without foil will have a bit more smoky flavor and char, and it can dry out more easily, so you’ll need to watch it closely and turn it often.
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Grilled Corn Recipe
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Ingredients
- Aluminum foil
- 4 ears sweet corn shucked, with all silk removed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt total, for 4 ears of corn
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper total, for 4 ears of corn
Instructions
- Preheat grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat (400 to 450 degrees F). Tear four 12×12-inch squares of foil from roll and place on work surface.
- Place 1 ear of corn on each foil square. Rub each ear of corn all over with butter and liberally sprinkle all over with salt and pepper to your taste (you may not need all the salt and pepper called for).
- Place each ear of corn at one edge of foil and roll foil around corn. Twist both ends of foil packets closed.
- Transfer foil wrapped corn to grill and cook 12 to 16 minutes, flipping and rotating the corn every 3 to 4 minutes. You will know the corn is done when you can hear sizzling butter inside the packets and you start to see light brown grill marks on the outside of the foil. If you start to hear the corn pop, or anything is beginning to smell burnt, remove corn from grill immediately.
- Carefully use tongs to rip one end of each foil packet off, then use tongs to slide corn out of the open end and onto a serving platter.
