{"title":"How to Grill Corn on the Cob","canonicalUrl":"https://www.showmestepbystep.com/cooking/how-to-grill-corn-on-the-cob","category":{"slug":"cooking","name":"Cooking"},"creator":{"name":"GQue BBQ - Westminster","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Ocw-HIiSZq03cD2hAoaxg","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YAMFn64VS4"},"tldr":"Grill corn on the cob with char marks and garlic BBQ butter in 25 minutes. The husk-off method that beats foil and steamed corn every time.","totalDurationSeconds":265,"difficulty":"easy","tools":["charcoal grill or gas grill","chimney starter","grill tongs","basting brush","small saucepan","cutting board"],"materials":["fresh corn on the cob","unsalted butter","fresh garlic","BBQ rub","neutral cooking oil","kosher salt","black pepper","lump charcoal"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Step 1: Husk the Corn","text":"Start at the narrow end of the ear and peel the husk back to expose the kernels. Once you have a handful of leaves pulled back, grab the other end and pull again. Two clean pulls strips the husk and the silk together. Trying to do it in one go almost always leaves stringy silk stuck on the cob. Watch"},{"number":2,"title":"Step 2: Set Up a Two-Zone Fire","text":"Build your charcoal pile on one side of the grill and leave the other side empty. That gives you a hot side for char and a cooler side to cook through without burning. On a PK or kettle grill, open the front intake vent and the top vent, and close the back vents. The oxygen pulls up and over the cooking grate for steady, even heat. Watch"},{"number":3,"title":"Step 3: Oil the Grates and the Corn","text":"Fold a paper towel, dip it in oil, and wipe the hot grates down with your tongs. Then brush a thin layer of oil over each ear of corn. The grates stay slick so the cobs do not stick, and the oil on the kernels protects them from over-charring once they hit the heat. Watch"},{"number":4,"title":"Step 4: Make the BBQ Butter","text":"While the corn starts cooking, melt a stick of unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Add minced garlic and a tablespoon of BBQ rub and stir it together. Use unsalted butter on purpose - the rub already has salt, and salted butter on top makes the finish too salty. This buttery, garlicky, smoky mix is the whole point. Watch"},{"number":5,"title":"Step 5: Grill the Corn Over Medium Heat","text":"Lay the ears across the cooler side of the grill, close the lid, and let them cook for about 7 minutes. The kernels start to soften and the color deepens to a richer yellow. Give them another quick brush of oil at this point to keep the surface from drying out before they hit the char side. Watch"},{"number":6,"title":"Step 6: Move the Corn Over the Coals","text":"Once the kernels are soft, slide each ear directly over the hot coals. Rotate every minute or so until you have char marks on all sides. You want clear blackening on the high points of the kernels, not a fully burned ear. That char is what gives grilled corn its smoky-sweet edge over boiled or steamed. Watch"},{"number":7,"title":"Step 7: Check Doneness and Pull","text":"Total grill time runs 20 to 30 minutes depending on how hot your fire is and which side of the grill each ear has spent the most time on. The corn is done when the kernels are soft to a press and the outside shows clean char marks. Move any ears that finish early to the cool side to hold while the rest catch up. Watch"},{"number":8,"title":"Step 8: Brush With BBQ Butter and Serve","text":"Move the hot ears to a cutting board and slather them with the garlic BBQ butter while they are still piping hot. The butter melts into the char and creates that built-in layer of flavor. Finish with a pinch of kosher salt and a crack of black pepper. Serve right away while the butter is still pooling. Watch"}],"recipe":{"servings":"Serves 4 to 6","prepMinutes":10,"cookMinutes":25,"cuisine":"American","ingredients":[{"name":"fresh corn on the cob","notes":"husk and silk removed","amount":"4 to 6 ears"},{"name":"unsalted butter","notes":"softened or melted","amount":"1 stick (8 tbsp)"},{"name":"garlic","notes":"minced","amount":"2 cloves"},{"name":"BBQ rub","notes":"GQue BBQ rub or your favorite","amount":"1 tbsp"},{"name":"neutral oil for grilling","notes":"for grates and ears","amount":"2 tbsp"},{"name":"kosher salt","amount":"to taste"},{"name":"black pepper","amount":"to taste"}]},"lastUpdated":"2026-05-30T15:13:02.944Z","published":"2026-05-29T14:00:43.667Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}