Memorial Day Grilled Corn (Printable Version)

Grilled sweet corn served with four vibrant herbed butters—parsley-chive, basil-lemon, cilantro-lime, Parmesan-paprika.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Corn

01 - 8 ears fresh sweet corn, husked

→ Basic Ingredients

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

→ Herbed Butters

05 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
07 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
08 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
09 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tsp lemon zest
15 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush each ear of corn lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
04 - While the corn grills, prepare the herbed butters: In 4 small bowls, divide the softened butter (1/4 cup each). Mix in the following ingredients for each butter: Parsley-Chive Butter: 2 tbsp parsley + 2 tbsp chives + 1/2 clove garlic. Basil-Lemon Butter: 2 tbsp basil + 1 tsp lemon zest. Cilantro-Lime Butter: 2 tbsp cilantro + 2 tsp lime juice + 1/2 clove garlic. Parmesan-Paprika Butter: 1 tbsp Parmesan + 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Mix each flavor until combined.
05 - Serve grilled corn hot with each herbed butter in small bowls or smeared directly onto the cobs. Offer all four variations for guests to choose from.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Rotating four butters means every ear of corn feels special and nobody gets bored.
  • The fresh, summery flavors let you impress guests with nearly zero fuss.
02 -
  • Once I forgot to let my butter completely soften—cold butter just won’t blend nicely with delicate herbs, so patience is key.
  • Mixing the butters a bit ahead only improves their flavors—giving them an hour in the fridge and then bringing back to room temp is my secret trick.
03 -
  • If rain threatens the party, you can broil the corn indoors with nearly the same results.
  • Don’t be shy with the butter—generosity here is the secret to big flavor.
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