Why You Should Rub Corn On The Cob With Olive Oil Before Grilling It

Grilled corn on the cob is one of the most sublime pleasures of summer. But juicy summer corn can quickly turn dry and flavorless on the grill, unless it's prepped properly before you get to cooking. You could preserve moisture by grilling the corn in the husk (in which case, you might want to soak your corn before grilling it), but then you don't get those delicious charred bits and deep flavor that characterize grilled corn. That's where good ol' olive oil comes in.

For the perfect grilled corn, shuck the cobs before grilling, and rub olive oil all over them. Use a basting brush to make sure every inch of that corn is covered in a thin layer of oil. No basting brush? No problem. Use a bunch of fresh herbs as a brush and infuse even more flavor into your corn. You can also use your (clean) hands to coat your corn, but a thin layer is all you need.

The oil helps to brown the corn to a perfect caramel color. It also makes sure the corn doesn't stick to the grill grates, break, and leak moisture, keeping your corn plump and juicy all throughout cooking. After you've coated your corn in that all-important olive oil, you'll want to grill the cobs on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, turning the corn frequently. This will further help prevent drying out and make sure your corn is evenly coated.

There is widespread belief that olive oil is not suitable for cooking at high temperatures, but that's not the case. A 2018 study in ACTA Scientific Nutritional Health found that extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the most stable cooking oil, more than virgin or refined olive oil as well as many other popular cooking oils, including canola, coconut, avocado, grapeseed, and peanut. This makes EVOO the perfect choice for your grilled corn on the cob.

Olive oil also has a fairly mild flavor, which means that once your corn is grilled to perfection, you can go ahead and add whatever toppings and flavorings you like. Keep it simple with butter and salt, make elotes, or transform grilled corn with Middle Eastern spices. Flavor your grilled corn on the cob like Bobby Flay by covering it in a garlicky vinaigrette full of fresh herbs, or making a creative compound butter with ingredients like shallots, chilies, cilantro, and lime. Whatever combination of flavors and ingredients you add, your perfectly charred grilled corn will be all the better for it.