Grilled corn is a summer favorite, but most people don’t like to eat the pods. Learn the best way to remove them and grill your favorite side dish with our guide and recipe. You too can grill corn without the husk.
Grilling husked corn on the cob is a great way to get that charred, nutty, smoky flavor you love from your grill while still keeping it healthy. Removing the skins allows the sugar to caramelize, giving it a depth of flavor that no other method can create.
That way, you keep all those delicious juices in your cob and don’t have to deal with messy cobs later. Forget sticky hands or left over dirt. How to grill aged corn on the cob.
What are corn husks?
Corn husks are the outermost leaves that surround silk and protect the kernels from getting dirty or being eaten by birds and insects. They can be green or yellow when dry, depending on when they were harvested and how they were dried.
When cooking corn on the cob, whether in the oven or on the grill, these husks can help retain moisture and add a juicy side to the grill. The problem is that those husks and clinging silk can make a lot of messes and while they’re edible, they’re pretty nasty to eat.
If we remove the shells, the May can be prone to dehydration or even burning. How can we do the same while ensuring a juicy, sweet corn on the cob?
How to remove husks from corn
Cut the stem end about 1 inch above the last row of beans. Then pull the shells to the end of the trimmed stem. This should be fairly easy to solve, but you may find some clutter as you go.
Once the husks are removed, continue removing the layer of corn between the husk and the kernels as well. It can burn while grilling, so don’t worry if you can’t remove every invisible strand.
After the husk and corn are removed, rinse each ear of corn under cold running water to remove any residue or dirt.
Should I soak the corn before grilling?
While salting corn in water and salt can help retain moisture in some cases, we only grill hot and fast for 10 minutes, so it’s not really necessary. At this point we want the natural sugars to be caramelized in May and any water added will hinder this process.
Some people claim that soaking can help reduce cooking time by as much as 30%. That may be true, but our grilling time is so short that a 3-minute saving doesn’t make up for the loss of the nutty, sweet flavor we’re aiming for in your recipe.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
