Barbecued Corn on the Cob
With Thai basil & chilli butter
An Indonesian friend once showed me how her family cooked corn. They would chuck whole corn cobs in their husks on to the embers of a campfire; the outsides would be completely burnt and blackened, but inside the husks was perfectly steamed corn – sweet and tender kernels with a hint of smokiness. While I don’t have the chance to go camping as much as I would like to nowadays, I find I can recreate similar results by grilling corn, husks on, over a charcoal grill. Salted butter is almost a must-have with the sweet barbecued corn; I like to give the butter an extra kick by adding chilli and fragrant Thai basil.
- 4 ears of fresh corn on the cob
- 100g unsalted organic butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 large handful of fresh Thai basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1–2 bird’s-eye chillies, chopped
- Stir together all the ingredients for the Thai basil and chilli butter, mixing well to make sure the herbs and seasoning are well distributed. Cover and set aside for the flavours to meld while you grill the corn. You can also make this ahead and dump it in a small bowl in the refrigerator; just bring it up to room temperature before serving.
- Prepare the corn by pulling the outer husks down to the base and stripping away the silk. Fold the husks back into place. You don’t have to be too careful here; it’s OK for the kernels to see a little action. Place on the barbecue and grill over a medium heat for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. To test if the corn is cooked, pierce with a knife or metal skewer to check if the kernels are tender.
- Remove the husks and generously slather the Thai basil and chilli butter over, letting it melt over the corn while hot.
Note: As the butter keeps for a week and freezes for months, you can also make extra in little ramekins or roll it into logs on clingfilm. It’s delicious melted over seared steak or grilled/steamed fish and vegetables.