How to Grill Corn on the Cob

Curious about how to grill corn on the cob?

Also read: How to Microwave Corn, How to Select, Store & Boil Corn, Corn Salsa

I was too until my mom and I tested various methods for barbecuing corn on the cob. We were looking for the tastiest corn and the easiest method.  You can read all the details below, but in case you want to get grilling right away, here are my two favorite methods for how to grill corn on the cob.

Grilled Corn in the Husk – No Soaking

Super easy to prepare, corn grilled in the husk is juicy, sweet and delicious. It is very similar to boiled corn with just a little more popcorn flavor. The silk came off very easily and wasn’t an issue at all.

1. Preheat BBQ to 350°F or medium high heat.
2. Trim back silk and any loose leaves.

4. Place cobs on grill for 15 to 20 minutes rotating frequently. Husk will char but inside will not.

Direct Grilled Corn on the Cob – No Husk

If you’re looking for grilled corn that tastes unique and different than boiled corn, this method is for you. It is drier and has a much more sweet, caramelized, nutty flavor than boiled corn or corn grilled in the husk or in aluminum. If you truly want to experience grilled corn – this is a method worth trying.

1. Preheat BBQ to 350°F or medium high heat.
2. Husk corn.
3. Place corn over direct heat of BBQ and grill for 10 minutes turning frequently.

We tested two other methods as well – soaking, trimming and seasoning cobs and wrapping in aluminum foil. To find out more about what we thought of those two methods, read on.

Testing 4 Ways to Grill Corn on the Cob

We prepped and tested four methods of grilling corn on the barbecue.

From right to left here are the methods we used on the 6 fresh cobs of corn we picked up from a farmer’s market.

1. Grilled in Soaked Husk with Silk Removed & Seasoned (x 2)
2. Husked, Seasoned and Wrapped in Aluminum (x 2)
3. Direct Grill, No Husk
4. Grilled in Husk As Is

We had five taste testers to help us decide which was the tastiest corn. They were so eager to help, they devoured one of the cobs (wrapped in aluminum) before the official taste testing. As a result, the After photo you see below includes from right to left 2 cobs grilled in soaked husk, 1 cob grilled in aluminum, 1 cob grilled directly with no husk, 1 cob grilled in husk as is.

Tastiest Grilled Corn

Which was the tastiest? This, my friends, is a difficult question to answer. There were two distinct flavor profiles that pitted the traditionalists vs the experimenters or in our case kids vs adults!

The traditionalists who like their corn hot, sweet and juicy without any charring preferred the corn in the husk as is (far right in photo). This corn had a texture most similar to boiled corn, with just a little more nutty flavor.

The experimenters who wanted their grilled corn to taste different than boiled corn preferred the direct grilled corn. This corn looked and tasted much different than boiled corn. It had a much more sweet, caramelized, nutty flavor than all the other corn. It’s texture was a little more dry but not unpleasantly so. If you truly want to experience grilled corn – this is a method worth trying. We liked it so much we made more the next day.

The aluminum wrapped corn and the soaked husk corn were juicy and delicious with just a hint of charring and a slightly more nutty/caramel flavor than boiled corn. Everyone loved them too – what can I say. They didn’t make the top two, because they required more prep.

Easiest Grilled Corn

Selecting the winner for the easiest way to grill corn was easy.

Grilled in the Husk was the clear winner in this department. Take the cob, trim off any loose bits and grill for 20 minutes. Removing the husk and silk after grilling was a bit messy, but that’s corn for ya.

Direct Grill without the Husk was the runner up. Shuck corn and grill for 10 minutes. Not having to deal with charred husk was a bonus, but the actual grilling process required a little more monitoring to prevent burning.

In third place was the Aluminum Wrapped Corn. Shuck corn, place in aluminum foil, season, seal and grill for 15-20 minutes. Pretty easy, but since mom and I are on the frugal side we were concerned about wasting all that aluminum. On the other hand, the benefit of this method is that you can preseason the corn evenly and add whatever seasoning you prefer. Friends have suggested butter, Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice – sounds pretty good!

Finally, we found very little benefit to the Soak/Remove Silk/Season Method of grilling corn. In this method, you soak the whole corn of cob with husk for 20 minutes, then open it up to remove all the silk, add butter and seasoning and seal the cob back to grill for 15 minutes. It was tasty, but not any tastier than just grilling it in the husk or wrapping it in aluminum foil. Mom and I agreed, we’d likely never follow this method again since it created mess before and after the grilling. Despite the soaking, this was the only corn that actually caught on fire, likely because the leaves weren’t as tight on the cob. It added a little excitement to the experiment, but was easily put out.

Well, there you have it, our experience and recommendations on grilled corn. Hope this helps you choose a way to grill corn on the cob.

Now that we’ve got grilling corn covered, did you know you can also microwave corn? Obviously you won’t get that grilled flavor, but it’s pretty handy if you’re just making one or two cobs or need a quick corn fix. Check out How to Microwave Corn on the Cob.

I’d love to hear your corn grilling experience and your favorite seasoning. Have you tried lime or lemon juice on corn? I hear it’s amazing and can’t wait to try it.

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.