Memorial Day Grilled Corn (Print Version)

Grilled corn on the cob paired with four herbed butters—parsley-chive, basil-lemon, cilantro-lime, Parmesan-paprika.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Corn

01 - 8 ears fresh sweet corn, husked (8 cobs)

→ Basic Ingredients

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herbed Butters (total 1 cup / 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened; divided into four 1/4-cup portions)

05 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
06 - Parsley-Chive combination: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (for one portion)
07 - Parsley-Chive combination: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (for one portion)
08 - Basil-Lemon combination: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil (for one portion)
09 - Basil-Lemon combination: 1 teaspoon lemon zest (for one portion)
10 - Cilantro-Lime combination: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (for one portion)
11 - Cilantro-Lime combination: 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (for one portion)
12 - Garlic, 1 clove finely minced (divided; 1/2 clove for parsley-chive portion and 1/2 clove for cilantro-lime portion)
13 - Parmesan-Paprika combination: 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (for one portion)
14 - Parmesan-Paprika combination: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (for one portion)
15 - Parmesan-Paprika combination: 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (for one portion)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Light the grill and bring to medium-high heat (direct heat, roughly 375–450°F). Clean and oil grates.
02 - Pat husked ears dry, brush each ear lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil divided across ears, then season evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Place ears directly on the hot grate. Turn every 2–3 minutes until kernels are lightly charred and tender, about 12–15 minutes total. Transfer cooked ears to a platter.
04 - Divide the softened butter into four equal 1/4-cup portions and place each portion in a small bowl to prepare the four flavored butters.
05 - For Parsley-Chive butter: stir 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives and 1/2 clove finely minced garlic into one 1/4-cup butter portion until homogeneous. For Cilantro-Lime butter: stir 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 2 teaspoons lime juice and 1/2 clove finely minced garlic into another 1/4-cup butter portion.
06 - For Basil-Lemon butter: stir 2 tablespoons chopped basil and 1 teaspoon lemon zest into a 1/4-cup butter portion. For Parmesan-Paprika butter: combine 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes into the remaining 1/4-cup butter portion and mix thoroughly.
07 - Serve ears hot with the four herbed butters in small bowls or smear butter onto cobs. Offer all variations so guests can choose and taste; wipe any excess butter from platter between servings.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • You get to play mix and match with four kinds of herbed butter—no need to pick just one.
  • The grilled corn comes off juicy and sweet, and each butter brings out a new side of summer.
02 -
  • Once, I tried making the butters with cold butter and almost broke three spoons—softened is a must.
  • Mix in the herbs right before serving to keep their freshness and color vivid.
03 -
  • Poke a few holes in the ears of corn with a skewer before grilling—the smoky flavor goes deeper.
  • Make extra basil-lemon butter; it disappears faster than you’d think and is excellent on everything from baked potatoes to pasta.
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