Grilled Corn on the Cob with Herb Butter

Sweet corn is practically celebrated as a season of its own in our home. We feast on it almost nightly in July and August, for as long as supplies last. And by supplies, I mean the pile of corn on the back of the flatbed truck at the farm down the road.

While we don’t live on a farm big enough to plant our own cornfield, we have made backyard gardening a priority for our family. Thanks to a couple of sturdy raised beds, we grow our own herbs, a handful of vegetables and a few berries. It’s enough to capture the children’s curiosity and has been a valuable tool for teaching them where their food comes from. After six seasons of urban homesteading, they have a solid appreciation for the effort that goes into growing food from seed. Also? The backyard garden gets us all outside.

On warm summer evenings, we like to picnic in the garden. I get a chance to escape the kitchen and hang out with the family while cooking our grillables. The HyperFlame^TM Swaptop™ interchangeable cooktops on the Coleman Hyperflame Stove lets me change out the pan supports with a grill grate. This set up is ideal for a quick grill, whether it’s a half-dozen ears of corn or a few rounds of sausage.

Local corn is fresh and sweet; it’s delicious in salads, soups, and straight off the cob. Our favourite way to prepare it is to grill the corn right on the cob, then finish with butter and herbs picked from our garden. It’s easy, it’s simple, and there’s no need to boil a big pot of water.

Here are my tricks for perfect grilled corn on the cob:

• Snip off the corn ‘tassels’ – those fine hairs at the top of the cob. Peel off the first few layers of husk and discard.
• Place the corncobs over direct heat – medium heat works best on the Hyperflame Stove – and begin to char them all over. This steams the corn in their own husks.
• Grill for about 7-10 minutes, then pull back a few husks and check the corn. It should be brightly coloured and tender.

• Cool slightly and then peel husks back completely. If you like a bit of smoky char directly on the kernels, return the peeled cobs back to the grill for half a minute to get some colouration.
• Wipe any clinging silks off the cob with a paper towel. Arrange the grilled corn on a serving platter.
• Melt a little salted butter in a pan and toss in 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, mint or basil. All are delicious! Brush the herb butter over the corn, top with cracked pepper and serve.