For some people August means the end of summer, but here in California, we’re finally hitting the best of the summer weather. May gray and June gloom (which morphed into July gloom) are gone, the sun is out and the skies are blue. And that means it’s grilling time! One of the biggest grilling holidays is still to come, so now is the time to perfect those grilling recipes and enjoy the outdoors. I love a good grilled pizza, or tasty Pineapple Chicken Skewers, but sometimes it’s nice to just come home, throw something basic on the grill, and enjoy the outdoors. They key to this is a good set of spices (more on that below), but it’s also picking the right sides. If I’m going to grill up an easy main dish, I want my side to be easy as well.
And what’s easier than corn on the cob?! I just bought some new corn holders (because it’s not corn without the proper handles!) so we’ve been getting crafty with our corn recipes. I’ve seen a variation of Mexican corn used in a few recipes, and decided to try one out. And oh man was it good. Super easy and super good. We’ve been slapping this on every corn cob that makes it into the house lately.
- 4 ears of corn, in their husk
- 4 Tablespoons mayonnaise or vegenaise
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on how you like spice. You can also use chili powder if you don't like spice.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- a pinch of garlic powder
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or more if you're feeling cheesy)
- Lime slices, to serve (optional)
- Trim off the dangly ends of the corn husk. These will catch fire on the grill, which you don't want. Gently peel down the husk (without removing from the corn) and pull off the corn silks. These will catch in your teeth and you don't want that either. Roll the husk back up and soak the corn in water for 10 minutes. You can certainly skip the soak if you're so inclined, but it's a nice safety measure if you have the time.
- Heat the grill to medium. Shake off the extra water on the corn husks and grill for 15-20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes.
- While the corn is cooking, mix the mayonnaise/vegenaise, cayenne pepper, salt, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
- Remove the husks and spread the mayo mix over the top of the corn.
- Roll the corn in the cheese and serve with a slice of lime.
But corn is best when it’s served alongside something tasty. That’s when the spices come in. A good spice set allows you to grab a protein – fish, chicken, beef, vegetables, whatever – cover it in a nice coating of spices, and throw it on the grill. There’s no need to spend time prepping marinades or sauces, and it’s great for last minute meals. A few weeks ago Simply Organic sent me a set of their Grilling Seasons to check out, and they’ve been fantastic! The full set includes seasonings for chicken, steak, seafood, vegetable, and chops. We’ve thrown them on chicken kabobs, filet mignons (from Costco..mm they’re so good), and summer veggies. They’ve come in really handy and have earned a spot on my counter this summer.
They were nice enough to send me two sets of the spices so I can give one away. Yay! And since I feel like the grill is a slightly terrifying tool that I’m always learning about, I’m throwing in a copy of The Barbecue! Bible for inspiration and recipes. It’s a great book to keep near your grill. Chock full of tips, tricks, and recipes, and it was just redesigned for its 10th anniversary, so it’s totally up to date.
I love to grill steaks. There is nothing like a good steak from the grill.
I like to grill chicken and kielbasa
I love grilled pork chops
I love to grill chicken and steaks. Asparagus is the best when grilled, and don’t forget the potatoes with onion and butter. Yummy
hamburgers
I love to grill shrimp!! 😊 🍤 (or any kind of seafood for that matter!)
I love to grill our homemade beef patties. My family prepares it together in a sort of assembly line: mixing, molding, saran wrapping, and flattening. I especially love these times because it allows us to talk and bond over food.
There was a special on freshly picked corn at the Farmer’s Market so we will definitely try this as a spruced up (spiced up?) version of barbecued corn on the cob. Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Mary
We just got our first BBQ this summer and have been experimenting throughout the summer. My favourite has been grilled ripe plantain but I look forward to trying out other ideas.
That corn looks SO good! I like to grill veggies – eggplant, bell pepper, and corn as well! Gives veggies a whole new taste ; )
http://madelinemarieblog.com/
New to your blog, and so far I am loving it!
I absolutely love this recipe, I made it for a summer BBQ a year ago and it was delicious….the Cotija cheese really melts in your mouth. Thanks for posting the recipe, maybe I can make it again before we are finished with Summer.
I love to grill kabobs. I’m becoming pro!
I love to grill pork chops.
I love grilling anything on a stick! Kabobs are so fun and easy!
I love grilling pork chops and peaches!
After already planning on brats potatoes on the grill today, I had hubby stop by the store for some corn! I skipped the cheese, HOWEVER, I added J D s BACON SALT into the butter and it really was delicious!