Grilling Corn on the Cob This Weekend?

Fresh sweet corn is one of the highlights of summer.

Crisp, juicy, and sweet, corn has long been a staple of picnics and barbecues. You can fill a bag with corn at the farmers market for cheap, and there is nothing like it.

Too bad we screw it up so often.

At BBQ’s and parties and potlucks, I’ve been served over-boiled corn on the cob, grilled corn that is almost burnt, and corn baked over hot coals until the husks are black. I’ve had hosts ask me “Do think the corn has cooked long enough?”, and I bite my tongue. I want to say “Any cooking is too long for corn.”, but they look so earnest (and they’re feeding me…) The times I have spoken up about it, the reaction has usually been, “You can eat corn raw? I didn’t know that. I thought you had to cook it.”

So I’m here to tell ya, “Don’t grill your corn!”

I think we’re all so used to covering the corn with butter and salt, that we can’t see ourselves eating it without. What does that say about a food, that we can’t imagine eating it plain? Fresh sweet corn has an amazing taste. It doesn’t need a thing added to it.

If you’re planning to serve corn at your barbecue, cut some cobs into pieces and serve as appetizers. Chances are, you’ll end up eating half of it raw. When you need an excuse to eat lots of butter and salt, grill the other half of the cobs.

Happy eating!

Read more about grilling:

• Farm Fresh: Grilled Baby Bok Choy
• Vegan BBQ, Burgers, and Backyard Bites: Fabulous and Flavorful Favorites
• Seven Tips for Greening Your Barbecue This Summer

Image: WayTru on Flickr under Creative Commons License