How-To: Grill Corn on the Cob

Nothing pairs better with your easy sliders with chipotle mayonnaise or southwestern turkey burgers than a fresh piece of corn on the cob, but it can be a bit of a bummer to have to bounce back and forth between the grill outside and the pot of boiling water on the stovetop in order to sync your dinner. 

Until the day when you have a sprawling outdoor kitchen to ease your alfresco dining woes, we have a simple method to grill corn on the cob, in the cob, on your grill.

Step 1: Heat Grill to Medium

When it comes to cooking, the most important attribute, besides the ingredients, is cooking temperature. If you’re cooking on a gas grill, there might be a thermometer on the appliance that indicates the degree of heat. Typically, medium is considered 300-350 degrees F while medium-high is considered 400-450 degrees F.

If there is no thermometer or you’re grilling on charcoal, you can estimate the heat on a grill without a fairly easy with the following method. Hold your hand over the the coals just above the grill grate, without touching the grate. Start counting by saying something like “one thousand one or one thousand two…” On a medium grill, you should be able to hold your hand over for six or seven seconds while a medium-high grill would be about four seconds.

Step 2: Shuck the Corn

Pull the outer husks of the corn down the ear to the base but don’t remove them. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. Fold husks back into place, and place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Grill the Corn

Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels.