When I was a little girl, we used to pick sweet corn every summer with my mom and dad. The corn stalks towered over us and sometimes my dad would have to lift us up so we could reach the ears of corn. Daddy taught me how to choose a full ear by first feeling the ear for fullness and then by pulling the husk back slightly to see if the kernels were plump.
We’d fill bags of paper grocery sacks with ripe ears of corn. At home, my mom put my sisters and I to work in the garage husking the corn we weren’t going to eat right away. She’d blanch it, cut it off the cob, and freeze it for the winter. Daddy showed us how to cut the kernels off as close to the corn cob as we could and then he’d scrape the bare cob with the blade of a sharp knife. He’d smile and say that he was getting all the sweetness he could out of the corn.
That’s the thing about fresh, summer sweet corn. It doesn’t need much work to taste fantastic.
You can boil it, steam it, wrap it in foil and bake it…but our favorite is to throw it on the grill, husk and all, and let it cook, turning once one side is charred, until the entire ear of corn has a beautiful burnt brown hue. The silk, those long stringy things that stick out of the top of the ear, come right off when the corn is fully cooked. Eat your grilled summer sweet corn it as is or add a little butter, salt, and pepper.
Or, if you’re like me you eat it au natural.
How are you cooking your favorite summer veggies?
Reminders
- My top food picks from the Fancy Food Show are up at FoodSpring.com – read day one and day two on their blog.
- You can still enter to win a copy of Healthy Snack to Go by Katie from Kitchen Stewardship. Or, you can
buy a copy for $6.95. - Pamela’s Products is holding their 5th Annual Greatest Gluten-Free Recipe Contest – get all the details here and start working on your ‘mini’ recipe.
Grilled Summer Sweet Corn
as many ears of corn as you need
Preheat your grill on medium high. Place ears of corn directly onto the hot grill with the husk on. Cover, and turn every 3 – 5 minutes or when one side has become charred. Remove from grill, husk, and serve as is or with salt, pepper, and butter.
Zoe @ Z's Cup of Tea
posted on June 30, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Oh, yum, Amy! That looks so good – and so simple, too!
We had corn on the cob a couple days ago, and I’ve been interested in trying grilled corn since I saw it on the cover of a vegetarian food magazine.
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Jenn
posted on June 30, 2010 at 7:49 pm
Actually I am not cooking my summer veggies lately…but eating them raw instead to keep from heating up our apt…. Your corn looks awesome!!
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renee
posted on June 30, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Amy –
Sweet corn fans here too. My grandparents grew it back in the Midwest and we would eat it for dinner the entire month of August – could never get enough! I also helped my grandma blanch and cut it just the way you describe. And then into the freezer. It tasted fantastic at Thanksgiving – and beyond!
We like to soak the corn in it’s husks in water before putting it on the grill. Do you put it on straight? I have done that before and it seemed like the corn burned too easily.
I can’t wait for the local corn season here!
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SnoWhite
posted on July 1, 2010 at 6:51 am
I LOVE grilled sweet corn!!
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Celiacs in the House
posted on July 1, 2010 at 7:01 am
Amy
Great food memories. Reminds me of my childhood. Can’t wait for the corn to be in season here in Ohio. You got it right about the month of August and corn for dinner. I love those sweet corn kernels in a Southwest quinoa salad too. We’ve been grilling everything, going straight from the garden to the grill. Leftovers are going into frittatas or salads.
Wendy
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Hallie @ Daily Bites
posted on July 1, 2010 at 7:24 am
Looks great. So rustic but still kind of elegant. I wonder how it would work to use an indoor grill pan. I don’t think it would have the same charring effect in the husk, but perhaps I could try it without and see what happens…
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Grace
posted on July 1, 2010 at 9:33 am
We always have sweet corn here on the farm and the family waits with anticipation until it is ready to eat. We have a family meal that consist of corn, corn and some more corn. We eat it all the ways you mentioned above according to the mood we’re in.
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Chelsey
posted on July 1, 2010 at 10:58 am
I love your story! What a great memory to cherish. I think summer brings the sweetness out of people too
You know, I have yet to BBQ corn. Probably because most corn I have tasted off the grill is a tad dried out. Keeping the husk on should totally prevent that.
This summer I have been making a LOT of salads, with homemade dressings. they are simple and satisfying. I’m starting to make chunky vegetable mixes to change up the texture and flavor.
Cheers to summer!
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renee Reply:
July 1st, 2010 at 9:27 pm
@Chelsey, I know what you mean about the corn being dried out. We soak ours – in the husks – in water and this seems to produce good corn. It seems that they steam themselves inside the husks this way. Try it, see what you think.
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Amy Reply:
July 1st, 2010 at 10:01 pm
@Chelsey, My corn has never been dried out this way – I used to soak it and then I forgot to do it once and just threw it on the grill. It turned out great and so I’ve never bothered soaking it again.
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Alisa - Frugal Foodie
posted on July 1, 2010 at 11:34 am
In years past, I have always steamed corn, but this year I have been roasting it in the oven just to mix things up. Honestly, I like it both ways, no big difference.
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gfe--gluten free easily
posted on July 1, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Lovely memory you’ve shared, Amy, and beautiful grilled corn.
We love to grill our corn, too. Sometimes we’re actually cooking it in the coals when camping and at those times, I always take the extra step of wrapping each ear in foil, too. They cook perfectly. BTW, I also pull the silk off mine and dip each ear in water before I put the husks back up and roast. It’s always super juicy and sweet. And, I agree, NO topping is needed. It’s great as is!
Shirley
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Sabrina
posted on July 1, 2010 at 4:53 pm
What a great childhood story! I am not much of a corn fan myself, but baked or steamed *Sweet* corn sounds like something I may have to try! I love the foil baking method for all kinds of things; how would you suggest cooking corn in this way (temps, time, etc)?
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amy
posted on July 1, 2010 at 6:33 pm
i love corn. sweet corn is the best! I had some raw at teh farmers market last wknd…it was perfect! reminds me of summer. corn=summer.
xo. amy
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Maggie Savage
posted on July 2, 2010 at 7:44 am
Love your pics Amy! And I love your story about your Dad. So sweet. I haven’t grilled corn either but will now! It would be fun to do when entertaining since the husks look so cool!
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Kim @.Cook it Allergy Free
posted on July 3, 2010 at 12:30 am
Sweet white corn roasted in husks on the grill = summer and the beach for me. It’s what we’ll be doing on the 4th! What a sweet memory, Amy – thanks for sharing.
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Aubree Cherie
posted on July 5, 2010 at 9:26 am
Oh, to have a grill!
I have lots of fond childhood memories with my dad and corn too. I’m definitely ready for sweet corn to be in season here in the northeast!
~Aubree Cherie
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