Memorial Day Grilled Corn 4 Ways (Printable)

Grilled corn finished with four signature herbed butters - parsley-chive, basil-lemon, cilantro-lime, Parmesan-paprika.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Corn

01 - 8 ears fresh sweet corn, husked

→ Basic Ingredients

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - Salt, to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Herbed Butters

05 - 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
07 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
08 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
09 - 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
10 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
11 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 2 tsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tsp lemon zest
15 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
02 - Brush each ear of corn lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and tender, about 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
04 - While the corn grills, prepare the herbed butters: In 4 small bowls, divide the softened butter (1/4 cup each). Mix in the following ingredients for each butter: Parsley-Chive Butter: 2 tbsp parsley + 2 tbsp chives + 1/2 clove garlic. Basil-Lemon Butter: 2 tbsp basil + 1 tsp lemon zest. Cilantro-Lime Butter: 2 tbsp cilantro + 2 tsp lime juice + 1/2 clove garlic. Parmesan-Paprika Butter: 1 tbsp Parmesan + 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Mix each flavor until combined.
05 - Serve grilled corn hot with each herbed butter in small bowls or smeared directly onto the cobs. Offer all four variations for guests to choose from.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get to play mix-and-match with herby butters nobody can resist, so the leftovers miraculously vanish.
  • It’s a hands-on, mess-friendly treat that instantly makes you the fun host (bonus: it goes with just about everything).
02 -
  • I once tried grilling the corn without oil, and the cobs welded to the grates—always, always oil first.
  • Using room temp butter is a game changer; if it’s too cold, the herbs won’t mix evenly and the butter will be frustratingly stubborn.
03 -
  • If the grill flares up, move the corn to a cooler zone so it cooks evenly without burning.
  • The real secret is letting people pick and slather butters as they please—it’s the fun that makes this a crowd-pleaser every time.
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