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Two grilled corn cobs topped with butter and sea salt, served with lime wedges on a plate.

Grilled Corn with Butter and Sea Salt

WTBBQ
This grilled corn with butter and sea salt is cooked over the barbecue until blistered and juicy, then finished with melting butter and flaky salt. It is a simple smoky side that works beautifully with spicy ribs, sticky glazes and grilled meats.
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Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ears of corn husks removed
  • 40 g unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper optional
  • 1 lime cut into wedges, optional for serving

Instructions
 

Prep the corn

  • Remove the husks and silk from the corn, then pat the cobs dry if needed. Set them aside while the BBQ heats up.

Heat the BBQ

  • Prepare your BBQ for medium to medium-high direct heat. You want enough heat to char the kernels in patches without drying the corn out before it cooks through.

Grill the corn

  • Place the corn directly on the grill grates and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every couple of minutes so the kernels colour evenly on all sides.

Butter and season

  • Once the corn is hot and lightly charred, transfer it to a tray or plate. Brush or spread the softened butter all over each cob, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt and black pepper if using.

Serve hot

  • Serve straight away while the butter is melting into the kernels. Add lime wedges on the side if you want a sharper finish.

Notes

Fresh corn is best here, especially when the kernels look plump and glossy rather than dry and tired. Good corn tastes sweet even before it hits the grill, and that natural sweetness only gets better once the heat starts blistering the edges. If you have to use pre-packed trimmed cobs, they’ll still work, though they rarely taste quite as lively.
Butter needs to be soft enough to spread easily over hot corn, not so cold that it tears up the kernels or sits there in annoyed little lumps. I use flaky sea salt rather than fine salt because I want quick pops of seasoning rather than a flat salty coat. A squeeze of lime at the end is optional, though it makes a lot of sense beside spicy pork.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3.5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.8gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 2.4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 290IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword barbecue corn, buttered corn, grilled corn, sea salt, smoky side
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