Corn Ribs Recipe

caramelized ribs of sweet corn on gray plate with chipotle mayonnaise sauce in small bowl

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Every once in a while, I’ll ask my followers what they might want to see in an upcoming video, which is where the idea for these corn ribs came from. So, please join me in thanking “dude fella” for inspiring this video, which involves a game-changing technique for cutting corn on the cob so we can eat it like a rack of ribs. There’s only one catch: If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can seriously injure yourself.

Some would argue this method is so amazing and makes eating corn on the cob so pleasurable, that losing a fingertip is a fair trade — but if you follow my instructions, you and your fingers shouldn’t be in any danger. As long as your body parts are always above the blade of the knife, no harm will come to you. Also, take your time. Even if you cut really slowly, this only takes a few minutes per ear, which is much faster than a trip to the ER.

Once cut, you can season and cook your corn ribs any way you want. But no matter which way you go, this is unlike any other “on the cob” experience you’ve ever had. Since we’re just dealing with a quarter of a cob, our teeth can reach all the way around the “bone,” which means easily biting off every single kernel. Trust me, you will never eat fresh corn any other way, which is why I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

More recipes: Try the latest and greatest recipes from Chef John!

Ingredients

Spice Mix:

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Corn Ribs:

4 ears fresh corn, shucked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

Stir together salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a small bowl; set aside.
Using a sharp knife, trim off both ends of each ear of corn to expose the cob. Stand cob on end, and carefully cut corn in half down the exact center of the cob, rocking the knife while applying downward pressure from the top. Stand each cob half on end, and cut into quarters using the same method. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle oil over corn; sprinkle on about 2/3 of spice mixture. Toss well, being sure to smear spices and oil evenly over each rib.
Ribs can now be finished on a charcoal grill, until hot and well browned.
To finish indoors, preheat the oven’s broiler and set a rack 7 to 8 inches from the heating element. Line a baking pan with foil.
Arrange corn ribs on the prepared pan with the maximum number of kernels facing up, toward the heat. Extra foil can be placed on the pan to prop up ribs into the right position. Once arranged, sprinkle with more spice mixture if so desired.
Broil on High until corn starts to brown in spots, about 7 minutes. Remove and rearrange ribs as needed, so that areas of kernels that are not yet browned are facing up toward the heat, and continue to broil until corn is golden-brown with some charred spots, 7 to 8 minutes more.
Remove and brush with melted butter; season to taste with remaining spice mixture.

Chef John

Chef's Note:

If you’d like, a barbecue sauce can be brushed on towards the end of the process to glaze the ribs just like regular pork ribs.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

237	Calories
17g	Fat
23g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 237
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17g	21%
Saturated Fat 8g	39%
Cholesterol 31mg	10%
Sodium 1001mg	44%
Total Carbohydrate 23g	8%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g	8%
Vitamin C 6mg	6%
Calcium 14mg	1%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 265mg	6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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