Grilled Mexican Street Corn with Lime Butter

A couple of weeks ago Mr. Pedantic and I spent our Saturday with some super wonderful humans at the slice of heaven known as a Taco Festival.  Yes, it really was as incredible as it sounds.  

While at that festival, we stood in lines with hundreds of other taco enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the next bite of summer.  It was at this festival that I had my first experience with Mexican Street Corn, and I knew right away that this would be a long-lasting friendship.

It took me about seven seconds to decide that an at-home version was in my near future. 

Let's get down to it.  Summer is passing quickly, and the sweet corn along with it, so we have to throw down the cobs while we can.

However, before we go any further, we do have to address one very important item.  You are not one of those unholy people who whips out a knife at the picnic table and proceeds to shave the kernels off of the cob, are you?  My father is, but I somehow love him anyways.  We all have our faults I suppose...

But I digress.  Back to the corn. 

First, we are going to make a zesty lime butter for a little extra dose of acidity. 

After the corn has been buttered up properly, we make our cheese mixture.  At this point, we have a choice to make.  I have made this corn with Cotija cheese, the traditional option, and Queso Fresco.  If you are not familiar with either of these cheeses, Cotija is the Mexican version of parmesan, while Queso Fresco can best be described as a less-salty feta.  

Both are excellent choices.  I mean, it's cheese, so you really cannot go wrong.  However, while the Queso Fresco is super light and perfect for summer time, it will not stick quite as heavily to the corn as the dryer Cotija, so just keep that in mind. 

The cheese is mixed with a heavy spoonful of sour cream to form a thick paste that will be smothered on our hot, buttered corn. 

I love grilling my corn to get those enviable charred bits, but you can certainly get a similar effect by tossing it under the broiler for a few minutes. 

Brush the hot corn liberally with the prepared lime butter and place in the bowl of cheese mixture.  Use a spatula to spread the cheese onto the corn.

Lastly, we are going to make a super fancy, 2-ingredient chili salt to bring a little extra flavor and color to this situation.  Give it a sprinkle, and you are ready to go! 

Now get in there and don't think twice about your messy face.  This is summer. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Grilled Mexican Street Corn with Lime Butter

serves six

FOR THE CHILI SALT

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

In a small bowl, whisk together sea salt and chili powder.  Set aside until ready to use. 

FOR THE LIME BUTTER

• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted

• 1/2 tablespoon lime zest

Whisk together melted butter and lime zest.  Set aside while you grill the corn. 

FOR THE CORN

• 6 ears sweet corn corn

• 10 ounces crumbled Queso fresco or Cotija cheese, either will work well

• 1/3 cup sour cream

Set your grill to high heat and grill the corn, turning every so often, until evenly charred.  

Cook's Note: If you do not own a grill, you can certainly make this corn using your oven's broiler setting. Lay the cobs out onto a lined sheet pan and broil, turning every few minutes, for about 10 minutes; until the corn is warm and evenly charred. 

Allow the corn to cool slightly while you prepare the cheese mixture. 

In a large, shallow bowl or pie pan, use a spatula to mix together cheese and sour cream, forming a loose paste.

Brush the prepared corn with lime butter and roll the corn in the cheese mixture, using a small spatula to help it adhere to the sides of the cobs. 

Sprinkle with prepared chili salt just before serving. 

Enjoy!! 

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