Off Topic – Grilled Corn with Shadon Beni Butter

Direct Grilled Corn (with Brats)

In my humble opinion, there’s only one way to grill corn – out of the husk and directly over the coals (not gas – that ain’t even real grilling).  Now I know a lot of folks, including some very close friends, like to leave the husks on their corn when they grill it.  I don’t know, something about sealing in the juices.  But the fact is, corn has plenty of water and it’s not like direct grilling it dries it out.  Quite the contrary.

Grilling in the husks is basically just steam cooking using heat from the grill.  Direct grilling accomplishes something important that steaming doesn’t.  When you direct grill corn, the sugars in the water caramelize, resulting in an extraordinary sweetness that is accented by a touch of smoky goodness.  Trust me, nothing else compares.

Direct grilling corn is easy.  Grill it just like a hot dog, turn it frequently to make sure it cooks evenly.  You can tell when it’s ready by the color change and the light charring as shown in the photo.  You can top with butter, salt and pepper, but if you really want to impress, mix up some Shadon Beni butter (preferably in advance, it’ll keep all summer):

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste.

Spread this on your grilled corn and then spritz it with some fresh lime juice, and I guarandamntee you’ll wish you had grilled more.  Please trust me on this; you’ll never want corn cooked and served any other way ever again.

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