Essential BBQ Side Dish!
Whenever you have a passing thought about what sides to make for a BBQ, the answer must surely always include grilled corn, right??! I mean, it’s the most effortless BBQ side dish ever: plonk corn on the BBQ, serve with butter. And we could just leave it at that. But I like to do one extra little thing to make it even more amazing: brush with melted butter while it’s on the BBQ. This does two things – adds buttery flavour, and helps get extra char on the corn because the butter conducts heat. It’s so good!
How to grill corn
There’s a few ways to grill corn – with the husk on or off, directly on charcoal or on the grill. I think the best way to grill corn is with the husk removed, and on the grills rather than directly on the charcoal or heat source. Here’s why:
Husk on – least prep and juiciest kernels, but hard to tell if it’s cooked, not everyone likes the grassy flavour you get from the husk and you don’t get charring on the corn kernels which is the second best part! (The best is the butter 😂) Direct on charcoal or BBQ flames – you get the best charring but it does have a tendency to dry out some of the kernels before all the kernels are cooked. Husk off, wrapped in foil – juicy kernels, like grilled corn with the husk on, but the most prep! Husk off, on the grills – my favourite method. Call it the compromise!
Raw corn is pale yellow and the kernels are hard. Cooked corn kernels turn bright yellow when cooked, and are tender when pierced with a knife.
What to serve grilled corn with
I struggle to think of any dish that corn would not go with! You might assume that it doesn’t belong on an Asian BBQ menu, but actually, grilled corn is quite a common street food in South East Asia. And here’s something that might get you inspired:
For now, here’s a quick little video with a preview of the full feast!
Key Tip – don’t overcook the corn!
The trick to great grilled corn is to cook it long enough to get a char, but not so long that the kernels end up juiceless and dry. When you grill corn the way I do without the husk, it’s inevitable that you’ll get some shrivelled kernels, like you can see below, but we want to minimise those shrivelled patches whilst still getting some nice charred bits for flavour. So make sure to use a very hot BBQ so you can get maximum charred bits in the fastest time possible for the juiciest corn! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Life of Dozer
No corn for Dozer! I know corn kernels are ok but the cobs are not, so for ease I just have a “no corn” rule for Dozer – so he can nibble on some broccoli instead!
