Fire-Grilled Harvest Corn with Maple-Chile Butter

Prep Time: ~20 minutes Cook Time: ~25 minutes Servings: 8

The last corn of the season is the sweetest reason to light a fire. The trick is two stages: the husk goes on first, so the kernels steam in their own jacket, then it comes off so the coals can do the charring. A brush of maple-chile butter hits the hot ears and turns to glaze. Sweet, smoky, a little heat, and nothing to plate. Hand them out by the husk and let everyone eat standing around the fire.

Ingredients

The Corn

• 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1 tsp kosher salt

The Finish

• ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp chives, thinly sliced
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Flaky salt, to taste

Equipment

• Bucket or large pot for soaking
• Long tongs
• Small bowl and basting brush
• Heatproof gloves for shucking hot ears

Steps

1. Submerge the ears, husks and all, in cold water for 15 minutes. Wet husks steam the kernels instead of burning off in the first minute.
2. Light your Cowboy Cauldron with hardwood and let it burn down to a bed of glowing coals with a little low flame. Set your grill grate over the fire. You want to be able to hold your hand over the grate for 3 to 4 seconds.
3. While the fire settles, mash the butter with the maple syrup, ancho, paprika, garlic, and salt until smooth. Keep it near the fire so it stays soft and brushable.
4. Shake off the water and lay the ears on the grate. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the husks are blackened all over and the kernels feel tender when you squeeze the ear with tongs.
5. Pull the ears off and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Peel the husks back to make a handle, or strip them off entirely, and pull away the silk. It comes off easier once the corn is cooked.
6. Put the bare ears back on the grate and brush them with the butter. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, turning and brushing as you go, until the kernels are spotted deep brown and the butter has cooked into a glaze.
7. Brush on one last coat of butter, then shower the ears with cotija, chives, and flaky salt. Serve hot with lime wedges.

Pro Tips

• Buy it the day you cook it. Corn starts turning its sugar to starch as soon as it's picked. Late-season ears need all the sweetness they've got, so shop the morning of.
• Watch the glaze. Maple burns fast. Save the butter for the final few minutes over the coals, and move the ears to a cooler edge of the grate if they darken too quickly.
• Use the leftovers. Cut the kernels off any extra ears and stir them into cornbread batter, chili, or tomorrow's skillet hash.