Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob

Stop serving boring corn, smoked corn on the cob tastes BETTER and when prepared correctly looks AMAZING! Fire up your smoker and let's make some buttered up amazing corn.

Jump to:

• Video - Step by step
• Why smoked corn?
• Best corn to choose
• Preparation
• Choosing a smoker / grill
• Choosing the best wood
• Smoking the corn
• Corn toppings
• Plating for the best look
• FAQ
• Old Pro Tips
• Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob

Video - Step by step

Why smoked corn?

Smoked corn on the cob provides great flavor that you just don't get if boiled. That great smoky flavor paired with salted butter basted on at the end, it's Heaven!

Corn is also a fantastic side dish to smoked meats such as Juicy Smoked Burgers. Pair this side dish with some smoked baked beans and you have the ultimate BBQ sides!

Best corn to choose

Sweet corn is by far the best corn to use when preparing corn on the cob. This is what is mostly sold in stores and at farmers market. When choosing corn, make sure to buy corn that is still in it's husk (for great presentation).

There are several different types of corn that will be called 'sweet corn', so the color of the kernels might vary each time you buy corn. Some will have bright yellow kernels and others more white, and some a variety of white and yellow. Any of these corn will taste great and have a nice sweet flavor.

Preparation

For best presenation, tying back the husks before smoking corn on the cob is the way to go. This does not alter the taste of the corn, but is strictly done to make the corn look even more tasty and add a little flare to your backyard BBQ.

Simply pull the husks down from the tip of the corn to the base. Throw out the fine corn silks, the thread like strands inside the husk, since these could catch fire. Bunch the husks together and tie with a 12" long strip of butcher twine with a bow securing it.

Choosing a smoker / grill

The first step is to choose what type of smoker or grill you are going to use when making this corn on the cob recipe. Let's take a look at a couple of options.

Pellet smoker

I love using pellet smokers when making smoked meats and sides such as this corn. They are easy to use and hold a steady temperature with little effort on your part.

Simply load the pellet hopper with your choice of wood pellets, set the temperature, and let the smoker do it's thing. My favorite smoker to use is the Traeger, but there are several great options on the market.

Traditional offset smoker

You can't beat the smoke flavor given off from a traditional smoker. Although they take a little more effort to stoke a fire and keep a consistent temperature, they are a great option.

If you have plenty of time and enjoy drinking beer and messing with fire all day, this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker is perfect for you!

Grill

This is how I first started cooking corn, a propane grill. Either a propane or charcoal grill will give you SO much more flavor than boiling it on your stove. It might not have as much smoke flavor as when you use a smoker, but you will still have that amazing grilled flavor.

It's hard to beat the original style weber charcoal kettle grill. I love these little bad boys. The hot coals will give the corn a great flavor.

Choosing the best wood

A mild flavor wood pellet or wood chip is the best when making corn on the cob. This would be any fruit wood such as apple or cherry, or a nice hickory wood.

I also like using the competition or trophy blend pellets if you are using a pellet grill. These are simply a mix of several different woods in one bag.

Smoking the corn

*Dunking the corn in water is optional, but will help 'steam' the corn when it's smoked or grilled. If using a grill, wetting the corn prior to grilling will prevent the husk from catching on fire, and we don't want that!*

Smoking corn is done at a relatively low heat to impart that great smoke flavor onto the corn. Pre-heat the smoker to 275°F using a mild flavor wood pellet or wood chips mentioned above.

It should take about 45 minutes to smoke the corn until tender at this temperature. If you are running short on time, you can always increase the temperature to 350°F and smoke 30 minutes.

Don't care about the presentation of your smoked corn on the cob? Then you can keep the corn in the husk and dunk in water or remove the husk completely before smoking / grilling.

Corn toppings

Butter Butter Butter! Oh my, butter makes corn taste amazing! Make sure to rub butter all over the corn right after it's removed from the smoker. This will make sure the butter is melted perfectly covering all of the kernels.

It's good practice to remove the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before the corn is finished to allow it to soften. This will make spreading it over the corn much easier.

Grind some sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper on the corn as well to give it a little salty bite with some heat from the pepper. Butter, salt, and pepper is all you need to pair with the sweetness and smokiness of the smoked corn.

What? You want to get crazy with your smoked corn on the cob? Okay, here are some other great toppings for corn...

• Cotija Cheese
• Chili Powder
• Mayonnaise
• Cilantro & Lime
• Cheddar & Bacon

Plating for the best look

Corn deserves it's own dish and should not be placed on the same plate as your other foods. Yep, it's that good! It also prevents the butter, salt, and pepper from getting over your other sides that don't need those flavors, such as deviled eggs.

Here at Jerkyholic we use these corn dishes, but find one that fits your personality. Corn holders are another great addition to keep your hands from getting all buttery, you know, for you more organized eaters. Just rip that husk off the end before stabbing each end with a corn holder.

FAQ

Old Pro Tips

• If using a grill, don't peel back the husk and soak in water before grilling. Use tongs to pull off the grill and dunk back in the water every 5 minutes or so while cooking to 'steam' the corn. Set grill to low, it will cook faster on a grill than a smoker.
• Rub the corn cob with butter before smoking to gain an even more smoky flavor.
• Serve with the husk tied back (great presentation), but tell guests they can rip it off before eating.