The Best Grilled Corn on the Cob

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (ideally about 400 degrees Fahrenheit). You’ll know it’s ready when you can hold your hand about 4 to 5 inches above the grates for just 4 to 5 seconds without needing to pull back—obviously be careful doing this!

Using a pair of scissors, trim off the silks at the end of each cob, and trim away any leaves that are jutting sideways off the husk. Otherwise, they may catch fire in the grill.

When the grill is sufficiently heated, use tongs to place each ear of corn on the grill, running in the direction of the grates so they don’t roll around. Leave a couple of inches around each one.

Close the grill. Cook for 15 minutes. Use tongs to rotate the corn by about one-third turn every 5 minutes before closing the grill again. Transfer the hot corn to a large serving platter.

Turn the grill to high heat (ideally about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, or hot enough that you can only hold your hands above the grates for 1 to 2 seconds). In the meantime, let the corn cool until it’s safe to handle, about 5 minutes. Remove all of the husks and the silks from the cobs and discard those pieces (if the corn is still quite warm, wrap a clean tea towel around the base of the cob as you work).

Using tongs, place the corn cobs back on the grill. Close the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, rotating the corn halfway to achieve some grill marks on each side. Remove the corn from the grill, slather with butter and sprinkle with salt (or use toppings of your choice), and serve.