Garlic Butter Corn
If you've always cooked corn on the cob in boiling water and called it a day, this recipe is about to change everything. Corn on the BBQ is an entirely different experience - the heat caramelises the natural sugars in the kernels, giving you a slight char and a depth of flavour that boiled corn simply can't match.
Add a generous coating of garlicky herb butter and you've got one of the best side dishes you'll ever serve at a BBQ. Simple ingredients, minimal effort and the kind of thing that disappears off the plate before anything else.
We serve these as halves alongside the rest of our BBQ spread, they're surprisingly filling, but if corn is the star of the show feel free to do a full cob per person. Either way, prepare to be asked for the recipe.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Corn on the BBQ is a game changer
If you've only ever boiled corn, you're in for a treat. The BBQ caramelises the natural sugars and adds a smoky char that takes this simple vegetable to a completely different level.
- That garlic butter though
Salted butter, fresh garlic and flat leaf parsley, melted into every kernel of hot corn straight off the BBQ. Simple ingredients that create something seriously delicious.
- Ready in 15 minutes
Prep the garlic butter, par-boil the corn for 5 minutes, then 4 minutes on the BBQ. One of the quickest and most impressive side dishes you can make.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd
Halves work brilliantly alongside a full BBQ spread, or go full cobs for a lighter meal. Either way this recipe scales up easily for however many people you're feeding.
- Make the butter ahead
The garlic butter can be made in advance and kept in the fridge, one less thing to worry about on BBQ day. You can even roll it into a log in cling film and slice off rounds to melt over the hot corn for a restaurant-style finish.
- Kids absolutely love it
Sweet, buttery, slightly charred corn, even the fussiest eaters can't resist. A guaranteed crowd pleaser for all ages.
4 Servings 10 Minutes
Ingredients
- Salted Butter - 100 grams
- Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Corn On The Cob - 4
- Flat Leaf Parsley - 20 grams
- Garlic Clove - 3
Method
- Make the garlic butter: In a bowl, combine the softened salted butter, softened, minced garlic cloves, finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined. Set aside at room temperature while you par-boil the corn, you want the butter soft enough to spread easily.
- Par-boil the corn: Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the 2 corn on the cob, halved and cook for 5 minutes. You are not fully cooking the corn at this stage, just giving it a head start before the BBQ. Drain well.
- Baste with garlic butter: While the corn is still hot, use a pastry brush or spoon to coat each piece generously with the garlic butter. Make sure every kernel is covered.
- BBQ and serve: Place the basted corn on a hot BBQ and cook for a couple of minutes on each side until lightly charred and caramelised. The kernels should have a little colour and the garlic butter will be sizzling. Serve immediately.
Hints and Tips
- Par-boil first - don't skip this step
The par-boil gives the corn a head start and ensures it's cooked through by the time the outside is nicely charred on the BBQ. Skip it and you risk burnt outside, undercooked inside.
- Baste while still hot
Coat the corn in the garlic butter immediately after par-boiling while it's still steaming. The heat helps the butter melt into every kernel rather than just sitting on the surface.
- Be generous with the butter
This is not the time to be restrained. The more garlic butter the better — coat every kernel thoroughly and don't be surprised if you want to make extra.
- Make the garlic butter ahead
The butter can be made the day before and kept in the fridge. Remove it 30 minutes before you need it so it's soft enough to spread easily. Alternatively roll it into a log in cling film, refrigerate, and slice off rounds to melt over the hot corn.
- No BBQ?
Place the basted corn under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes each side instead. You'll get a similar char and the garlic butter will still work its magic.
- Leftover garlic butter
Don't throw it away, it's incredible melted over grilled chicken, fish or stirred through pasta. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days and use it on everything.
- Serve this alongside
This corn is one of the star side dishes in our A:[BBQ blog post URL] Ultimate Family BBQ Menu alongside our A:[ribs URL] Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs, A:[Greek salad URL] Greek Salad and A:[bulgur salad URL] Mediterranean Bulgur Salad for a complete summer spread.