Spicy grilled chipotle corn is a recipe fraught with flavor. From the slight charring of the corn kernels, to the rich smoothness of the butter, and finishing with the spicy smoke flavor of the powdered chipotles, this recipe is sure to please!
Peppers and corn are always a great combination. Ever tried adding chopped red bell peppers to the pot of corn on the stove? Give it a try sometime. How about simple grilled corn with a side of grilled green peppers? Another good combination. And even though the peppers are dried and powdered, the pepper-corn combination in this recipe truly lives up to its reputation.
Choosing the best corn for grilling is easy when it’s in season. Find a good farm stand, or buy corn in the grocery produce section that you’ve verified to be home grown. In the off season, you may think that the fresh ears on the produce shelf are your best bet. Sometimes that’s true.
But the more sure off-season option is to buy name brand frozen ears of corn. Good quality frozen corn is processed and frozen quickly after it’s harvested, so it will possess nearly fresh-from-the-field flavor.
- 4 ears of sweet corn
- 2 tablespoons of butter (for grilling)
- 2 tablespoons of butter (to use when serving the corn)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
- 1 lime, wedged into quarters
Get that grill fired up! Set it to medium-high, then get yourself to the kitchen.
Remove the husks and silks from the corn and trim both ends. Rub each ear with butter.
Grill the corn over direct heat for 8 to 12 minutes, turning often. You want the kernels to show some browning, because the browning adds great, toasty flavor to this dish. Remove from grill when done.
Rub another layer of butter on the grilled corn and sprinkle on the salt and chipotle powder. Powdered chipotles can be spicy-hot, so unless you know your guests won’t mind, be conservative with the pepper application.
Lastly, give the ears a few pinches of the chopped cilantro, then serve each with a wedge of lime. Along with peppers, grilled corn goes great with the flavor of lime!