A Simple Sweet And Savory Oven Baked Corn On The Cob Recipe
I love corn on the cob, but if you were around me during the summer youd know that. I swear I had grilled corn everyday! . Well summer is over, so now its time to play around with my other corn on the cob recipes. When it comes to cooking corn on the cob, there are so many ways. One of my favorites would have to be oven baked corn on the cob! I like to use fresh corn on the cob, when I make this corn in the oven, but frozen corn on the cob works as well!
So for my oven baked corn on the cob recipe, I start off with fresh ears of corn. I remove the husk & corn silk, then I rinse the corn thoroughly.
Once the corn is prepared how I like it, I simply toss the corn on the cob into my bake dish or roaster FYI there is no boiling corn, nor do you have to microwave corn on the cob prior to baking!
Next I make a easy honey butter. The butter is melted, then drizzled all over the corn on the cobs. The corn is covered then roasted in the oven, uncovered Side note: this is the best damn oven roasted corn recipe yall!
The outcome is AMAZING!!
I plan on uploading more corn on the cob & other corn recipes. Let me know if there are any in particular that youd like to see.
How To Buy Corn On The Cob
Corn on the cob is best when its super fresh. After a day or two, the starches in the corn niblets have a chance to develop, and the sweetness and crispness of your corn will fade.
How can you tell if corn cobs are fresh? Look at the silk! Those are the silky threads hanging out the top end of the corn. If they are fresh and firm, not wilted and dried out, then the corn is fresh.
I always take a peek inside each cob of corn before buying them. Some people will shuck them right at the grocery store, and thats fine, too, but I like to keep the husk on until I am ready to prepare the dish. It keeps the corn fresher that way.
But, before I put the ear of corn into the bag, I peel back the end a bit to peek at the corn kernels. If theyre large and plump and go right to the tip of the corn, its a good cob. If the kernels are small, discolored, or stop before the tip of the corn, I put it back.
I also always check the silk. If the silk is dried or slimy, the corn is old and has been sitting around far too long.
What People Are Saying
We had a few recipe testers on this recipe before we shared it here: heres what they had to say!
- I really enjoyed how low maintenance it was and personally I think it made it easier to peel off the husks. I will definitely keep this method in my back pocket! -Madison
- This is heaven! The corn was cooked perfectly. Ill be making it again this weekend. -Lauriane
- The oven roasted corn was fantastic! I think it would be perfect especially for a large group, when using an oven would be easier than finding big enough pots for boiling water. -Lisa
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Why Make Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob
So, why would you make corn on the cob in the oven? Well, a few reasons. Perhaps you dont want to fire up the grill . Or maybe you dont have one! Or perhaps you dont want to tend to a pot of boiling water while youre making the rest of a meal. Want to set it and forget it? Oven roasted corn on the cob is where its at.
A few things about the method here: you can roast corn on the cob in the oven with the husk off or the husk on. We found that the husk on method was best for a few reasons:
- Super moist! Roasting with the husk off gets a caramelized flavor, but it also dries out quite a bit. Roasting with the husk on makes for beautifully moist corn on the cob.
- No prep time! The method is also seriously easy: literally no prep time is required since you dont have to shuck the corn before popping it in the oven.
How To Make Oven
Cooking corn in the oven couldnt be any easier! Heres how to make it:
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Rub With A Gripper Pad
According to the brilliant folks at Lifehacker, a gripper pad is all you need to easily remove stray strands from an ear of corn.
Gripper pads, like the ones used to open jars, are cheap and easy to find. All you have to do is rub your ear of corn with a clean gripper pad to remove even the most stubborn silk. Grippy shelf liners reportedly work just as well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Wrapping the corn with aluminum foil steams the corn to give the most tender and freshest corn results.
- In recipe testing, covering just the top of the casserole dish did not deliver as tender results which is why I individually wrap each ear.
- My buttah lovers, listen up, basting the corn with the herb butter before roasting gives so much flavor to the fresh summer corn.
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Origin Of The Expression: Ear Of The Corn
As always this article would be incomplete if we didnt touch on the history of the subject. My research on oven roasted corn on the cob, took me to the most odd & commonly used expression an ear of the corn. We call a banana a banana, a potato a potato, a cauliflower a cauliflower. We however, call a cob of corn an ear of the corn. Who on earth thought of this very peculiar expression??
The expression comes from a gifted Italian surrealist artist Giuseppe Arcimbaldo who did a painting titled Summer in 1573. This Italian painter, also worked as a draftsman and tapestry designer. He is best known for creating imaginative portrait heads composed entirely of objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books.
He painted representations of these objects on the canvas in a rather unique way. The whimsical & fascinating collection of mundane objects formed a distinguishable likeness of the subject of the portrait. Below is the Italian food art from which the expression ear of the corn is derived. Please pay close attention to the EAR!!
Sweet bursts of golden yellow kernel ©RecipeForte
How To Season It
And thats it! No, you can season your corn as desired. We are partial to butter, kosher salt, and a bunch of fresh ground pepper. Or, if you want to get fancy, we have a few options.
- Old Bay. Use purchased or homemade.
- Mexican street corn . Our favorite! Try Mexican street corn with a creamy, spiced sauce, sprinkle of cheese, lime and cilantro.
- Ranch. Try this ranch seasoning on corn: its surprisingly good!
- Greek seasoning. Greek seasoning features basil, oregano, and garlic powder: its perfect sprinkled on a cob.
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What Type Of Corn To Use
Sweet corn is the most common and what you will typically find at most grocery stores. You can use any corn you like.
Look for corn that has bright green, tightly wrapped husks. Dont grab corn with brown holes in the leafy portion. The little brown holes form when worms have gotten into the corn through the husks. You can also peel back a few inches of the husk and look at the corn. The tip of the corn should have all of its kernels intact, without gaps.
Recipe Notes And Top Tips
- To cook the corn unflavored: all you need is a little unsalted butter or oil for roasted sweet corn that youll top with flavors AFTER cooking.
- Change the method to suit you best: there are three ways to cook oven-roasted corn. The first is simply cooking it in the husk. This method contains minimal prep and produces flavorful corn, yet not as caramelized as roasting without the husk. The second is oven-roasted corn in foil, my preferred method. This lets you add toppings and create a parcel to steam the corn while locking in the flavor for tender, sweet, and flavorful corn. Lastly, you can even make baked corn on the cob uncovered however, the corn will become drier and chewier. On the plus side, when cooking it this way, itll be ready in less time and it will be nicely caramelized but will require extra sauce since its not as juicy.
- Adjust the baking time: depending on the size of the corn on the cob, the baking time may vary, though 25-30 minutes is the lowest Ive ever needed.
- To keep the roasted corn warm: if youre preparing baked corn on the cob for a crowd, then you can roast the corn then transfer it to a cooler to keep it warm for several hours.
- For roasted sweet corn kernels: feel free to roast the kernels off the cob. To do so, add the kernels to a parchment-lined baking tray, melt the garlic butter corn sauce, toss with the corn kernels, and then bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring a couple of times while baking.
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How To Shuck Corn
Shucking corn is the process of removing the husks and silk. Ive been doing it my whole life, and now enlist my kids to help, which is really just to say if an 8 year old can do it, so can you!
It can be time consuming to shuck corn, but Im all about efficiency, so Ive found a way to get it done quickly. All you need is some confidence and a couple strong hands.
My favorite way to shuck corn is to reach into the top and grab about one third of the silk, along with the husk on the outside of it. Hold the cob firmly in one hand, and rip the silk down to the end with the other.
Repeat this process two more times, or until the majority of the silk and husk is removed. Use your hands to pull away any remaining silk, or try a corn brush.
If you peel the husks and silk away a little at a time, it will take ages to shuck the corn, and be more difficult to remove the silk. By grabbing a lot of it at once, the whole ear can be shucked in under 30 seconds.
How To Make Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob
For this super simple recipe all you will need is corn on the cob, butter, garlic salt and pepper! Before you cook your corn you will want to make sure you get the best fresh corn on the cob you can find. Read How to Choose an Ear of Corn for tips on selecting your corn at the grocery store or farmers market!
First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then, shuck your corn husks and be sure to remove all of the silk. Next, spread softened butter on the corn. It does not need to be melted butter. Sprinkle the corn cobs with garlic salt and pepper. Next, roast corn in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes turning halfway through.
For more char, you can broil to get it your desired color! Move the pan up to a higher oven rack and broil for just a few minutes, turning if desired to get an even color. Then, serve and enjoy. See video below for visual directions.
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How To Choose Corn On The Cob
I always prefer buying corn on the cob during its peak season . Youll also want to choose ears that are plump with bright green, tightly closed husks.
The top of the silk should be a light brown color and feel a little sticky, letting you know the corn is still fresh and juicy. Try to avoid corn with husks and silks that are browned, dry, or have a lot of little holes in them, indicating pests.
I always peel back the silk a little bit from the top to make sure the corn inside looks good. Youre looking for kernels that are set close together with a white or yellow color.
If it looks brown or like something has nibbled on it, choose a different ear. Some people will say never to peek, but I prefer to only buy the corn well need rather than worrying about throwing an ear or two away thats been half eaten by some sort of critter.
I would probably not peel back the silk to check when buying directly from a farmer and would instead buy a couple extra ears just to help support them.
Recipe Tips And Tricks
- Use unsalted butter.You wont need the extra salt since youll be adding it along with freshly ground black pepper.
- Need a butter substitute? Olive, vegetable, or even coconut oil can be used in place of the butter. You just need some kind of coating so the roasted corn doesnt dry out.
- Add some heat.We love to add a dash of cayenne pepper when we make baked corn on the cob. Stir it into the softened butter before smearing over the kernels so you dont accidentally add too much.
- Try different corn on the cob toppings!Instead of flavored butter, add some smoked paprika, your favorite herbs from the garden, or even a citrus compound butter. Other options include grated Parmesan cheese, Old Bay seasoning, or barbecue ranch dressing.
Mess Free Buttering Tip!
Leave the wrapper on the stick of butter and rub the end over the surface of the kernels. Youll get even coverage and keep your fingers clean in the process!
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How To Store Roasted Corn
Store: you can store the baked corn on the cob or as kernels. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store for between 3-5 days. Make sure to do so within two hours of preparing the oven-roasted corn.
Freeze: this method for roasted corn on the cob is perfect as meal prep for those summer months when corn is at its cheapest . Make a large batch of roasted sweet corn, remove the kernels, and freeze for 10-12 months!
How To Cook Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob
For how delicious, hearty, and crowd-pleasing it is, oven-roasted corn on the cob is actually quite simple to make in just two steps with only about five minutes of prep time.
First, preheat the oven to 425°F. While it’s warming, stir together butter, parsley, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl. After the ingredients are well combined, spread about a tablespoon of the herb butter onto each corn cob.
Next, wrap each cob individually in a piece of aluminum foil and place the foil-wrapped ears on a baking sheet. Bake them in the preheated oven until the corn is soft expect a cook time of about 20 to 25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, turn the ears once.
When they’re all done, remove the foil and serve the mouth-watering side dish to your grateful crowd.
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Oven Baked Corn On The Cob
This is the first summer weve grown corn. Until were able to harvest our own, were buying it frequently and I finally, FINALLY realized I cook corn on the cob in the oven. This oven baked corn on the cob is so simple to make, and I cant believe it took me so long to figure this out.
If you are planning a cookout, this would be simple to make ahead of time and there is little you have to worry about it while to cooks. Your grill can focus on other foods! And if youre family is like mine, and they appreciate corn on the cob frequently during the summer months, this is a set it and forget it kind of food.
What you need:
6 fresh ears of corn on the cob3 tbsp butter
Why Oven Roast Corn On The Cob
We all have our favorite way of cooking corn on the cob. While I really do love grilled corn big time, sometimes the weather isnt that great for grilling . Or there are also times that I just dont feel like firing up the grill. So what does this corn-lover gal have to do? Pop that corn in the oven, yall!
So why should you roast corn in the oven?
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Want More Flavor Try Adding These Combinations To Your Butter For Flavored Corn
- Taco: Mix butter and taco seasoning to taste.
- Garlic Herb: Add chopped garlic, parsley, pepper and rosemary to butter.
- Greek: Add lemon zest, oregano, paprika, and pepper to butter.
- Chili Lime: Add lime zest, lime juice, paprika, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add red pepper flakes if you like it spicy!
Wrap the ears of corn tightly, and place in the oven. After about 10 minutes, open up the packets, and turn the corn on its reverse side . Reseal the packet and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until you reach your desired level of doneness.