Memorial Day Grilled Corn (Printer-friendly)

Charred corn on the cob with four herbed butter options—parsley-chive, basil-lemon, cilantro-lime, parmesan-paprika.

# What You'll Need:

→ Corn

01 - 8 ears fresh sweet corn, husked

→ Basic Ingredients

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herbed Butters

05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
07 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
08 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
09 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tsp lemon zest
15 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush each ear of corn lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
04 - While the corn grills, prepare the herbed butters: In 4 small bowls, divide the softened butter (1/4 cup each). Mix in the following ingredients for each butter: Parsley-Chive Butter: 2 tbsp parsley + 2 tbsp chives + 1/2 clove garlic; Basil-Lemon Butter: 2 tbsp basil + 1 tsp lemon zest; Cilantro-Lime Butter: 2 tbsp cilantro + 2 tsp lime juice + 1/2 clove garlic; Parmesan-Paprika Butter: 1 tbsp Parmesan + 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Mix each flavor until combined.
05 - Serve grilled corn hot with each herbed butter in small bowls or smeared directly onto the cobs. Offer all four variations for guests to choose from.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No one ever guesses how wildly easy these fancy butters are to whip up at the last minute.
  • Every guest gets to choose their favorite – and watching those taste tests is half the fun.
02 -
  • The first time I tried grilling without enough oil, half the kernels ended up stuck and lost – be generous.
  • Realizing you can prep the butters in advance turned busy cookouts into a breeze.
03 -
  • If the butter is too cold, a few seconds in the microwave (just until soft) makes mixing in the herbs much easier.
  • Serve the corn immediately so the butter melts and soaks into every crevice – waiting even a few minutes changes everything.
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