Corn Ribs
Updated Aug. 20, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Ingredients
- 4ears corn, shucked
- 2teaspoons kosher salt
- 2teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- ½teaspoon onion powder
- ¼teaspoon black pepper
- ¼teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4tablespoons salted butter, cubed, or garlic butter
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (optional), chopped, for serving
- Sriracha mayonnaise, ranch dressing or green goddess dressing (optional), for dipping
Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Once water is boiling, add corn and boil for 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove cobs and transfer them to the ice bath until just cool. (Boiling the corn helps soften the cores so the corn ribs are easier to slice.)
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne (if using). Heat a grill or large grill pan to medium-high.
- Step 3
Thoroughly dry the corn, then, using a very sharp, large knife, trim both ends of each ear of corn. On a flat, stable surface, stand up one ear of corn vertically and carefully slice it in half lengthwise. (Do this slowly, using a rocking motion. If you feel more comfortable, the ears can first be cut crosswise into two smaller cobs before this step.) Place each half on the surface, flat side down, and slice each in half lengthwise. Each ear of corn will produce 4 ribs (or 8 if they’re halved crosswise first, for ease).
- Step 4
Transfer corn ribs to a large bowl, drizzle with the oil and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss again.
- Step 5
Grill corn (covered, if using a gas grill), kernels side down, until charred in spots, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Step 6
Immediately return grilled corn ribs to the large bowl and gently toss with the butter until melted. Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh herbs and with a sauce for dipping, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Cutting corn cobs this way is dangerous. I once tried to slice a tall piece of chocolate this way, and sliced off some of my index finger when the nice slipped. Place the cob flat on a cutting board and cut it in half that way. Much, much safer.
As a chef for more than 30 years, with excellent knife skills, I really would not recommend trying to cut an ear of corn like this.
Fun way to eat corn! Follow the suggested tip of cutting ears half first - making two short ears of corn. Then you can stand each half up on its flat side and easily quarte the ears that way, reducing the chance of self injury.
I had these at a restaurant earlier this summer and loved them, so I was delighted to see this recipe. Delish, fun and a big hit. One tip to make it easier (that I learned from a farmer) - microwave the corn in the husk. Then you cut it at the base and squeeze the whole cob out of the husk from the tip. It’s so fast, comes out clean and no need for a big pot of boiling water that heats up your kitchen in the summer.
We found that having flat ends for the corn, setting the knife into the corn to secure it, then just holding the knife while gently tapping the back of it with a rubber mallet is the easiest way to cut them. A cleaver was easier than a chefs knife for this task.
Wouldn't the same seasoning produce a nice dish without the additional bother and risk? Not only that, but even the parboil step seems like an unnecessary annoyance. People who are not career chefs don't need this kind of time waste. Next we'll see some sort of guillotine tool especially designed for cutting corn into ribs, and everyone will be told their kitchen isn't adequately equipped without one. No, thanks. I will save the seasoning idea, though.