Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

Method

1. Grill the corn over medium-high heat, turning every 2 minutes with tongs, until charred in spots all around — about 8–10 minutes total. The natural sugars in the corn caramelize on the hot grates, creating sweet, smoky flavor that steaming can't replicate.

2. Rub immediately with compound butter while the corn is still hot. The butter melts on contact, coating every kernel with garlic, herbs, and rich dairy fat. The heat from the corn blooms the aromatics in the butter.

3. Season with flaky salt and serve immediately. The salt crystals add crunch and bursts of salinity against the sweet, smoky corn.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

   Season generously — underseasoned food is the most common home cooking mistake. You can always add more at the end, but building seasoning in layers produces deeper flavor than a single pass.

Equipment

• Grill or grill pan Recommended: Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan
• Tongs (for turning corn — never pierce with a fork) Also good: Wok Spatula
• Small bowl (for herb butter)
• Pastry brush (for applying butter to hot corn) Recommended: OXO Good Grips Silicone Pastry Brush
• Aluminum foil (optional, for indirect grilling) Recommended: Weber Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill · Also good: Weber Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

Chef Notes

• The most important thing: Grill the corn directly over medium-high heat without the husk. The husk steams the corn; direct flame chars it. You want blackened spots and caramelized sugars, not steamed corn.
• Turn every 2 minutes for even charring on all sides. 8–10 minutes total.
• Compound butter from the Foundations is an instant finishing sauce — the butter melts into the hot corn, carrying garlic and herb flavor into every kernel.
• If you don't have compound butter, plain butter with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of chili powder works great.
• This is peak summer cooking. Use the freshest corn you can find — the sugars start converting to starch the moment it's picked.

Common Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Notes
Butter	Ghee or olive oil	Ghee for similar richness. Olive oil for dairy-free.
Sugar	Coconut sugar or maple syrup	Coconut sugar is 1:1. Maple: reduce liquid slightly.
Grill	Cast iron skillet + broiler	Sear in skillet, finish under broiler for char.

What You're Practicing

Using compound butter as a finishing sauce is a professional technique that turns any grilled protein or vegetable into something special with zero last-minute effort. The butter is made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer — you just slice and melt. Visit Compound Butters for recipes and techniques.

Grilling corn teaches you about sugar caramelization on the grill. The same principle applies to grilling peaches, pineapple, and any fruit or vegetable with natural sugars. Visit Techniques for more on grilling.