Irresistibly sweet and savory, Smoked Corn on the Cob is perfect for summer barbecues, or as a side dish any time of the year!
Are you sensing a theme with this week’s recipes yet?
When I mentioned to a friend that I was planning to expand on the grilling and smoker content on the blog, they told me, “You know, you don’t have to smoke everything.”
I took that as a challenge.
Welcome to Smoker Week 2023.
By next week, you’ll have an entire smoked meal to recreate, if you so choose.
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
I truly think getting a pellet grill was one of the best choices we ever made. Abe always wanted one, anyway, but we already had a dual grill down in Florida, and not enough reason to get a smoker, too.
I look back on our grilling days fondly (because there’s nothing like a burger off a charcoal grill, am I right?), but messing with briquets and remembering to get propane ended up being a pain more often than not.
Smokers though – they’re so easy to use! Just grab a few bags of wood pellets (we keep ours in the shed), fill the hopper, and let the machine do its thing. And oh my goodness, a smoked steak or chicken breast is like biting into heaven!
Ingredients
Smoking corn on the cob with husks is super easy and requires no advanced prep or fancy ingredients!
- Corn on the cob – remove the silks, but leave the husk on! Presentation. baby! You can also use thawed out frozen corn cobs if that’s what you have.
- Unsalted butter – you can also use salted butter, just adjust the amount of salt you add to the butter baste.
- Fresh herbs – grab and chop up some parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chives…whatever you’ve got. The herb-infused butter gets trapped between the corn kernels and is so good!
- Smoked paprika – sweet or hot paprika would be good here, too.
- Garlic powder – or freshly minced garlic, if you want!
- Salt & black pepper
Do I have to smoke corn on the cob in the husk?
Not at all! You can definitely remove them and smoke them naked if you’d prefer to.
Smoking corn without the husk actually lends even more smoky flavor to the corn itself, since the husk acts almost like a steamer wrap for the corn as it cooks. Much of the smoke flavor gets trapped in the husk, so it’s totally up to you which way you do it!
How to smoke corn on the cob
- Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 225 degrees F. Make sure your pellets or chips are full!
- Carefully peel back the corn husks, then remove and discard the silks. With the husks still peeled back, place the corn on a platter or cutting board.
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, herbs of choice, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, whisking well. Brush the butter mixture all over the corn, then rewrap each ear of corn in its husk.
- Place the corn in a single layer in the smoker, either directly over the heat or on an upper rack. Smoke it for 50 to 75 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time, until it is easy to pierce with a fork.
FAQ
Do I need to soak the corn before smoking?
No, soaking the corn is not necessary for smoking. Many recipes recommend soaking in-husk corn before grilling to prevent burning, but wood and pellet smokers have no direct flames to worry about.
I don’t have a smoker! Can I smoke corn on a gas grill?
Yes, you can smoke corn on a gas grill as long as you have a smoker box. You can also create a single-use version by using two large pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil to create a pouch molded around 2 cups of wood chips. Poke holes in the top of the pouch to allow smoke to escape, then place the pouch over one of the grill burners and smoke away!
My friend Susie has a great video how-to guide you can check out right here.
How should I store leftover smoked corn?
Allow it to cool to room temperature, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, or place it in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can grill it briefly or microwave it until heated through.
What to serve with smoked corn
Smoked corn on the cob is a fantastic side dish for any grilled meats such as steak, chicken, or ribs. You can also serve it alongside burgers, or as part of a vegetarian barbecue that includes potato salad and smoked cream cheese spread.
More delicious recipes using corn!
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Smoked Corn on the Cob
Ingredients
- 4 ears corn on the cob silks removed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs parsley, cilantro, rosemary
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 225 degrees F.
- Peel back corn husks and remove and discard the silks, then place them on a platter or cutting board.
- Combine butter, herbs of choice, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush the butter mixture all over the corn.
- Place corn in a single layer on the upper racks in the smoker. Smoke for 50-75 minutes, flipping halfway through the cook time, until it is easy to pierce with a fork.
Sherry Ronning says
The perfect smoker side dish to have with my smoked meats! Easy to prepare and the smoker does all the work! Thanks for a great recipe!
Sue says
I thought corn on the cob couldn’t get much better, but making it smoked brings a whole new level of flavor! Delish!
Puja says
What a great idea to smoke corn! Smoking adds so much dimension to foods and the smokiness pairs perfectly with the sweetness of corn.
Claire says
DELICIOUS!!!
WOW!
We only recently got a smoker added to our outdoor kitchen and I have been obsessed with it!
This smoked corn was so good, sweet smokey and buttery. I added a bit of extra salt and it was the best corn I have ever cooked!
We served it up next to smoked ribs and it was a dinner that I could eat every night!
Angela Pagliarello says
The first recipe I tried in my new smoker, the best corn on the cob I’ve ever cooked!