Corn Ribs

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5 from 1 vote

The Best Corn Ribs, with 4 easy cooking methods: broiling, baking, air frying, and grilling. These corn ribs are smoky, sweet, charred, and buttery — guaranteed to be your new favorite summer corn side dish!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Jenné Claiborne

Ingredients

4 corn cobs shucked
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp salt fine kosher or sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp melted vegan butter or additional avocado oil
¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley minced
Fresh lime slices for serving

Instructions

Cut the Corn Ribs

Trim the pointed end of the corn (skip this step if you purchased already-trimmed corn cobs). Stand a piece of corn upright on the cutting board and carefully cut down with a sharp knife, cutting it in half vertically. Keep your hands on the knife and the part of the corn above the knife.
When you have two halves, place the flat side down on the cutting board and slice lengthwise again. Repeat these steps with the remaining corn cobs, creating 15 corn ribs.
To make cutting easier, parboil the corn for 3 minutes before slicing or slice the corn widthwise before quartering. The second method will leave you with shorter pieces, which should be easier to

Season the Corn Ribs

In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic. Stir well until combined.
Place the corn into a mixing bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Using tongs or your hands, toss the corn until coated. Then, sprinkle ⅔ of the spice mixture over the corn and toss again. Save the remaining spice mixture.

Choose Your Preferred Cooking Method

BROIL: Preheat the broiler on high. Spread the seasoned corn in an even layer on a broil-safe baking sheet. Place the rack about 6-7 inches from the heat. Broil the corn for 7 minutes. Remove from the broiler, use tongs to flip the corn, and broil for another 7 minutes, or until the corn is tender, curled, and charred.
GRILL: Grill the corn on a prepared charcoal or electric grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until the corn is tender, curled, and charred.
AIR-FRY: Preheat the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes. Place the corn into the air fryer basket in an even layer (you may need to do this in batches), and cook for 10-13 minutes, or until the corn is tender, curled, and charred.
BAKE: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the corn in an even layer and bake for 25 minutes, flipping it halfway through. The corn is ready when it is tender, curled, and charred.

Finish and Serve

While the corn finishes up cooking, add melted butter to the small bowl of the remaining spice mixture. Stir well.
When the corn comes out of the oven, place it back in the mixing bowl and pour the melted butter mixture over it. Toss until coated in the spices and transfer it to a serving platter.
Garnish the corn with minced fresh parsley and serve with a slice of lime.

Video

Notes

Storage Directions

Refrigerating: Leftover corn riblets keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing them, as their texture can break down upon defrosting.

Reheating: Warm the corn in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.

Recipe Pro-Tips

Use a sharp knife. A dull knife makes the preparation process unsafe and much harder. Use a large, sharp, preferably full-tang knife — such as a chef's or boning knife— to cut the corn ribs.
Use oil with a high smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke, adding an unpleasant flavor. Since these corn ribs cook at high temperatures, a high smoke point oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, canola, or coconut oil (melted), is best.
Adjust the cooking time as needed. If your grill or broiler runs hot, you may need to flip or remove the corn ribs earlier than directed. Alternatively, you can reduce the heat on either if the corn cooks faster than directed.

Nutrition