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How To Grill Corn

How To Grill Corn

Let’s talk about how to grill corn.

Friends and food go together like peanut butter and jelly. This is why we always find ourselves discussing food with our closest friends. We debate recipes. We eat together.

We discuss meal plans. It is just what we do. Just the other day, I brought up grilling corn and how to grill corn with friends.

Oddly, it brought up quite a debate. It actually took me a bit off guard.

Who knew that how you grill your corn, or if you should even grill corn, would bring out strong feelings in people??

Humans are funny like that.

This is why I decided to try grilling corn four ways just to see which way I personally liked the best.

Here’s how I grilled some corn: Fully shucked (no outer husks), shucked but in foil, in husks, in husks but with silk removed (see pics below).

How to grill corn (4 different ways)

Grilled corn fully shucked

1. Completely remove the corn husks and silk from the corn.
2. Soak corn in a bowl of water for 2 hours.
3. Place on a medium-high grill for 20 minutes. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes.

Grilled corn in husks

Place corn in husks on a medium-high grill for 20 minutes. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes.

Note: The husks caught on fire but didn’t fully burn away. This created a beautiful and fun presentation.

Grilled corn with silk removed

1. Carefully peel back corn husks.
2. Remove the silk from the corn.
3. Carefully fold husks back over corn cob.
4. Place on a medium-high grill for 20 minutes. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes.

Grilled corn in foil

1. Completely remove the corn husks and silk from the corn.
2. Place corn cobs on a torn square of aluminum foil.
3. Smear 1 pat of butter on corn cob.
4. Sprinkle corn cob with a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Wrap corn in foil fully.
6. Place on a medium-high grill for 20 minutes. Rotate the corn every 5 minutes.

Love your corn off the cob? Here are some corn shucker options from Amazon!

We grilled a total of 12 ears of corn and then cut the corn into pieces so that everyone at the cookout could try all the various options.

It was difficult to get a consensus on what the best option was, but I can tell you that there wasn’t any corn left over.

If there had been any, though, this is how we reheat corn on the cob.

My favorite grilled corn was the husked corn cooked directly on the grill. Andi’s fave was the kind wrapped in foil.

How do you grill corn? Let us know in the comments below—we’d love to try something new to see how it tastes! 

Cha Stefan

Wednesday 15th of June 2022

Corn in the husks. Just trim the top and bottom, soak for 30-60 minutes. Place on hot grill. (Mine is a infrared) Roast turning every 5 minutes. 15-20 min. Using grill gloves remove from grill, cut off bottom at about first kernel row, then squeeze out ear removing silk and husk at the same time. In a hurry, use your microwave 5-6 minutes on high.

Keri Buscemi

Wednesday 2nd of June 2021

My husband grills corn with the husks on but silk removed. We soak the corn in water for about 20 to 30 minutes, it keeps the burning down and keeps the corn crisp. Sometimes if we want a bit of char on the ears the last few minutes we will take the husks off and put the cobs directly on the grates rotating as it gets a bit of the char lines; my daughters don’t like it like this so we don’t do this often.

Andi Reis

Friday 2nd of July 2021

That sounds like it works well! Thanks, Keri.

Margaret Transue

Wednesday 22nd of July 2020

I grill my corn by pulling the husk down, removing the silk, adding salt pepper, paprika, pulling the husks back up then pop them on the grill.

Terri Avizienis

Wednesday 22nd of July 2020

Hi! I love your recipes. Thanks! Is there any way to do this in an oven? I can't grill on my stove and I don't have a BBQ. I'm in a small apartment with no outdoor space. I know you can do spare ribs in an oven, so I am hoping corn can be done that way as well. I usually boil sweet white corn and pour melted butter, dill weed, and lemon juice on it. (I don't miss the salt this way.)