Smoked Street Corn (Elote recipe)

If you want to take grilled corn to a whole new level, then this smoked street corn is the recipe to do just that.  The ears get brushed with creamy mayonnaise, rolled in fluffy cheese, and then sprinkled with warm spices and fresh cilantro. A squeeze of fresh lime juice is the finishing touch of perfection. In my opinion, it's a great way to showcase sweet summer corn, and I know it'll be a crowd favorite for you too.

this recipe

I first had Mexican style street corn, also known as elote, at Café Habana in New York when I was attending culinary school, and I've been hooked ever since. This recipe is inspired by that memorable visit and a version of it can also be found in my cookbook, The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook.

It's the perfect side dish to add to your favorite summer meals and backyard barbecues. You may also want to check out this similarly flavored recipe but in a different form: elote corn fritters. If you need main dish suggestions, be sure to check out my Garlic Rosemary Pork Chops and Old Bay and Honey Butter Roasted Salmon recipes. For dessert, my Mini S'mores Pies will round out your warm-weather meal.

Ingredients

Before we get started with the recipe, gather these ingredients:

• Fresh sweet corn with husks
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Duke's mayonnaise
• Paprika (or use smoked paprika)
• Chili powder
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got everything we need for this smoked street corn, it's time to get cooking!

First, remove the silks from the corn without detaching the husks and soak the corn in water for 10 minutes.

Next, fold back the husks and tie to create a handle.

Then, place the corn over the unlit side of the grill and smoke for 25 to 30 minutes.

Finally, brush the corn with mayonnaise and roll in cheese. Sprinkle with the spices and cilantro.

Hint: You can create an indirect grilling environment on a gas or charcoal grill. For a gas grill, light the burners on one side of the grill and leave the other side unlit. For a charcoal grill, place the coals on one side of the grill.

Hint #2: You can also add soaked wood chips for a more intense smoky flavor. (I recommend fruit woods like cherry wood or apple wood.) And you don't need a smoker box; it's easy to create your own: For a gas grill, arrange the wood chips in an aluminum pan and place over the lit side of the grill. For a charcoal grill, place the wood chips directly over the coals.

Substitutions

Check out these easy swaps in case you don't have some of the ingredients on hand or want to change things up:

• Cheese - Instead of crumbled cotija cheese, use crumbled feta cheese or finely grated Parmesan.
• Handles - If you can't find pretty corn with husks, use corn picks or wooden skewers instead for the smoked street corn "handles."
• Indoor Grilling - If the weather is less than ideal, you can use a grill pan to "grill" the corn. This method would be for direct cooking, so reduce the time to 10 to 15 minutes and be sure to rotate the corn as it cooks so all sides will be tender.

Variations

Looking for even more options? Check these out:

• Spicy - Use chipotle chili pepper or ground red pepper, also known as cayenne, (but not as much) for a spicy seasoning variation. You can also serve with your favorite hot sauce.
• Bacon - It's certainly not traditional, but everything's better with bacon, right? Roll the corn in some crumbled bacon bits.
• Creamy - Stir a little sour cream or Mexican crema in with the mayo for a creamy, tangy kick.
• Super smoky - For even more smoky flavor, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika.
• Extra lime - Grate a little lime zest from the fresh limes and sprinkle it onto the corn cobs after coating in the mayo mixture.

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

• gas or charcoal grill
• pastry brush
• metal tongs

Storage

Store any leftover street corn in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. For best results, store all of the toppings separately. Then, reheat the corn (the microwave works fine) and brush with mayonnaise and sprinkle with toppings just before you're ready to eat.

I don't recommend freezing leftovers.

Frequently asked questions

Check out these frequently asked questions--you may find some answers to some of your own questions:

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I tested this recipe using a gas grill. Keep in mind that your cook times may be different if using a different type of grill.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Remember to keep these food safety tips in mind when make this smoked street corn recipe.

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave grilling food unattended
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas grill

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.