We Are Serious About Good Corn!

Summertime is finally here! And that means that our favorite fruits and veggies are available – fresh, at affordable prices. Farmer’s markets are a great resource, and we are fortunate enough to have our very own in Ryan’s grandparents (Becky’s parents).
Ryan’s granddad, Dave, has an enormous garden and we – along with his friends, family and neighbors – are blessed to benefit from his hard work. Dave raises beans, several types of lettuce, tomatoes, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and more. But the elusive ear of corn is what the family always waits for with bated breath.

You see, over the years, Dave has had to practically arm wrestle raccoons for his precious corn. He’s tried fences. He’s tried scarecrows.  He even tried keeping a radio on overnight in the garden to scare them away. A great idea until the radio mysteriously turned off. Is it just me, or do the raccoons appear to be getting smarter? So, that’s why the perfect sweet corn that does survive is treated with awe and respect. We take this stuff seriously!

Of course, this incredible corn is not available at all times. So, the rest of the summer, we buy ears of corn from the grocery store like everybody else. We have tried a variety of preparations – we boil it, we grill it with the husk on. But, we recently found a grilling method that we believe is worthy of Dave’s corn. It’s called Italian Grilled Corn and here’s how you make it:

Start by husking your corn, and getting the grill heated up to medium heat (or until coals are ash white, if you’re using charcoal). Now pull out a few simple ingredients: butter, Italian seasoning, salt and garlic powder. This is also the time to rinse and chop a red pepper. I cut mine in medium-sized pieces that could fit in my mini food-chopper.

The little processor was perfect – I just threw the pepper chunks in and it cut them up into fine pieces.

Mix all of those ingredients together to get a nice, flavorful spread.

Now, tear off a square of aluminum foil for each ear of corn. Place an ear on one square, then spread a tablespoon of the butter mix all over the ear. I tried to find a way to do that without getting my hands messy, but it was next to impossible. So, my recommendation to you is this: make sure your hands are clean, then embrace the mess.

Firmly seal the tops and sides of the foil around the ear of corn (being lax on this part will result in dry, chewy corn). I recommend bringing the ends of the foil together, folding it down once, then continuing to roll it down until it lies flat against the corn. Roll the ends of the foil in as well. This seals the steam in for a tender, moist, finished product.

Place all of the wrapped ears of corn on the grill and cook for 15-20 minutes. You’ll want to keep an eye on the clock (or set a timer), so you remember to flip them over once, midway through.

After the time is up, remove the ears of corn from the grill and carefully open up each foil packet. You’ll find that you have beautiful, flavorful grilled corn, ready for eating! The butter keeps the corn moist and the seasonings dress the corn up. It’s a delicious combination, perfect for people who love their corn.

Though we made these ears at home, this recipe would be great for a barbeque at a park, or for bringing to a cook-out at a friend’s house. Just prepare the corn at home, seal it up in the foil pouches, then bring them along in a cooler. The great part is, you won’t have to mess with bringing extra butter, salt or knives for seasoning the corn – it’s ready to go!
Try this Italian Grilled Corn with your next summer meal, then rate and review the recipe.

Come back in a few days when I’ll be making a perfect summer dessert.

Amanda is paid to write for the Land O’Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.