Grilled corn on the cob is a summer time favorite! This roasted delight is smokey, crunchy, sweet and incredibly juicy. It’s the perfect companion to burgers at a cookout and smoked ribs or brisket served at your backyard barbecue.
Grilled corn on the cob is one of the most iconic summer sides.
Picture this – it’s 11am on a hot summer Saturday and you’ve got your grilled all fired up. That smell of charcoal or smoking wood pellets fill the air and you’ve just laid down some buttered ears of corn on the grill.
And within 5 minutes, the air fills with the light aroma of popcorn and you can literally hear the ears of corn roasting. Fast-forward 15 more minutes and you’ve got a perfectly charred, robustly roasted, and perfectly delicious grilled corn on the cob!
Yep – that’s exactly what you’ll get with this amazing grilled corn recipe.
Key Elements Of This Recipe
- Full ears of sweet corn: Get them husk on and as fresh as you can find
- Butter: Unsalted butter works best for this recipe
The Ingredients for Grilled Corn On The Cob
- 6 Full Ears of Sweet Corn
- 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
- Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
The Equipment Needed
- Traeger Ironwood Wood Pellet Grill (or any other quality smoker)
How To Grill Corn On The Cob
I find that the best way to grill corn on the cob is by peeling back the husk and putting the exposed corn cobs directly on the grill. It gives the kernels that charred look and taste – that makes roasted corn so irresistible.
Prepare The Ears Of Corn
First, soak your ears of corn in cold water for just 5 minutes so that the husks become hydrated (helps prevent premature burning of the husks during grilling).
Then, for each ear of corn, peel back all of the husk and silk – but leave them attached at the base (makes for a better presentation).
Next, tie the husks at the end of the base so that it wraps into a neat bundle, as shown below.
Lastly, rub a stick of butter across the cob of each ear of corn, so that the corn kernels are coated entirely.
Grill The Corn
Fire up your smoker/grill to 500°F.
When the grill is hot, place your ears of corn directly on the grates and let them grill for about 20 minutes total – rotating them occasionally, until all sides develop a light char.
Serving Your Grilled Corn On The Cob
These roasted, charred ears of corn are perfect to serve just as they are.
But if you’d like to add some additional flavor, topping the freshly grilled cobs with either Garlic Compound Butter, Cowboy Butter, or Bacon Honey Butter would make your grilled corn the talk of the whole barbecue!
Or if you want to be extra zealous, turn these grilled corn cobs into irresistible Elotes (Grilled Mexican Street Corn) and totally blow away your cookout guests.
However you choose to serve them, they will be unbelievably delicious.
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Equipment
- Traeger Ironwood Wood Pellet Grill, (or any other quality smoker)
Ingredients
- 6 Full Ears of Sweet Corn
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter
- Salt & Black Pepper, (optional, to taste)
Instructions
How To Grill Corn On The Cob
- I find that the best way to grill corn on the cob is by peeling back the husk and putting the exposed corn cobs directly on the grill. It gives the kernels that charred look and taste – that makes roasted corn so irresistible.
Prepare The Ears Of Corn
- First, soak your ears of corn in cold water for just 5 minutes so that the husks become hydrated (helps prevent premature burning of the husks during grilling).
- Then, for each ear of corn, peel back all of the husk and silk – but leave them attached at the base (makes for a better presentation).
- Next, tie the husks at the end of the base so that it wraps into a neat bundle, as shown below.
- Lastly, rub a stick of butter across the cob of each ear of corn, so that the corn kernels are coated entirely.
Grill The Corn
- Fire up your smoker/grill to 500°F.
- When the grill is hot, place your ears of corn directly on the grates and let them grill for about 20 minutes total – rotating them occasionally, until all sides develop a light char.
Serving Your Grilled Corn On The Cob
- These roasted, charred ears of corn are perfect to serve just as they are.
- But if you'd like to add some additional flavor, topping the freshly grilled cobs with either Garlic Compound Butter, Cowboy Butter, or Bacon Honey Butter would make your grilled corn the talk of the whole barbecue!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is just an estimate derived by an online calculation tool.
FAQ
How long does it take to grill corn?
It takes about 20 minutes for corn to grill on smoker/grill set to 500°F.
Is it better to grill corn in husk or peeled?
I always recommend grilling with the husk peeled. It gives the corn that nice char which yields the smokey caramelized flavor that makes grilled corn so delicious.
What temperature do you grill corn at?
I always grill on a smoker/grill set to 500°F.
Henry
I love the charred essence of the grilled corn! It’s the perfect summer grilling side!
Paula
This grilled corn was sooo delish! We loved it.
Naelle Yoshimura
I’m used to boiling corn, but we tried grilling them and it was delicious! Super simple, and I love that the kids can participate for shucking the corn.
Anjali
Grilled corn on the cob is one of my favorite summertime snacks! And thanks to your guide, ours turned out perfectly cooked with just the right amount of char. Thank you so much!
Gianne
The corn was perfectly charred and had a wonderful smoky flavor. It was a simple and easy recipe that I will definitely make again.
Kerri
This corn recipe was so easy to make and went great with grilled steaks!
Amy Liu Dong
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Lauren
There is no better way to enjoy fresh summer corn on the cob, than grilled. We are going to make this over and over this summer!
Heather
Perfect grilled corn every time! Deliciously charred and juicy, the perfect summer side! Thank you!
Katherine
I hadn’t made grilled corn on the cob before, so thanks for all the great tips. It worked perfectly!
Gianne
The smoky char perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the corn, making every bite a burst of flavor. It’s a simple yet incredibly satisfying dish that’s perfect for any summer barbecue.
Shashi Charles
I love corn on the cob and can’t wait to try this quick, flavorful recipe. It sounds so delicious and easy!
Nicole Kendrick
This is some of the best grilled corn on the cob I’ve made. I love that you kept the seasonings simple. It was delicious with our burgers and chops last night!
Krystle
Simply the best, I love the char on the outside. We make this recipe often.
Juyali
Made these again. Simple and delish!
Jacqueline
This is the perfect way to cook corn on the cob! We love it and make it often!
JC
The perfect use of my seasonal corn… will miss fresh corn season! Thanks for the recipe!