Grilled corn on the cob

(page 361, How to Grill, Steven Raichlen, with the whimsical nature of Parish Hebb)

Butter:  3/4 of a stick of butter at room temperature (or round-up to one stick), two tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley, one clove of garlic

Place the butter mixture in mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.    Then once its room temperature, smear all over the corn.  You can use your clean hands for smearing fun or a brush like Valentina in the video!  Remember to save some of your butter for cooking on the grill.

Tips:  Microwave on warm or defrost can soften up the butter, but keep an eye on it, because you don’t want it totally melted.  Instead of using parsley, you can use two or three tablespoons of your favorite spices or herbs.  Be creative!  We have tried, cinnamon with maple syrup, curry, old bay, rosemary, herbes de provence (that’s French!), its endless…

Cooking on the grill:  cook 8 – 12 minutes over medium to high heat.  Remember that corn has four “sides”, so you are looking at 2-3 minutes on each side.  After turning each time, brush with your butter mixture.  You will learn over time how long you like to cook it.   It’s like hotdogs.  Some folks like them crispy, some like it lightly cooked.  Anna likes them just golden.  Parish likes some of the kernels to be blackened.

Controversy over grilling corn:  Should you cook the corn in the husk or with the husk removed?  Proponents of the in husk corn say it keeps the corn moist, steaming the corn inside of the husk.  The no husk camp prefers the smokey flavor that live fire imparts.

So which one are you?