How to Roast Corn

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 21, 2021 References

Roasting corn in the oven is a simple way to give it a perfect lightly-charred finish and bring out more of its natural sweetness. To get started, set your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). While it’s warming up, remove the husks from your corn, then wrap it in foil, place it on a foil-lined baking sheet, or cut it off the cob for a ready-made side dish. Put your corn in the oven for about half an hour and serve it hot with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Ingredients

Roasted Corn

Whole ears of corn
½-1 tbsp (9-18 g) softened butter
Salt, pepper, and other assorted spices (to taste)

Mexican-style Street Corn

Cotija cheese
Crema or mayonnaise
Cilantro
Garlic salt
Chili powder
Fresh lime juice

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Roasting Method

1
Shuck your corn. Remove the dry outer leaves from your corn so you’re left with just the supple green husk. Then, take hold of the fibrous “tassel” at the top of the ear and pull down firmly to peel off the husk in one smooth motion. After shucking your corn, look for leftover strands of silk and pluck these off by hand.^{[1]
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- If you shuck your corn using the tassel as a handle, you should be able to “unzip” the husk in a single piece.
Tip: Roasting your corn “naked” will give it a firm, slightly chewy consistency with just the right amount of flavorful charring.^{[2]
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2
Leave the husks on your corn if you want to roast it directly on the rack. Alternatively, you can simply throw your corn into the oven with the husk still on. Just trim the silky tassels and remove the outer layer of leaves so that only the green inner shell remains. Try not to expose too many of the kernels inside.^{[3]
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- When left intact, the husk will act as a kind of built-in steamer packet for the corn, leaving it moist and evenly cooked throughout.^{[4]
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- Heating the husk along with the corn will also dry it out, making it much easier to remove later on.
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3
Wrap each ear in foil if you like your corn soft and juicy. Use just enough foil to completely cover each shucked ear of corn and twist off the ends to make sure each bundle is sealed. When you’re done, place the foil-wrapped corn on a rimmed baking sheet.^{[5]
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- If you want, you can go ahead and brush your corn with about a tablespoon (15 g) of softened butter or sprinkle it with salt and pepper before you close it up. That way, the flavor of your seasonings will cook right in.^{[6]
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- The extra layer of insulation will make it harder to accidentally overcook your corn. This can be helpful if you’re preparing other dishes and aren't able to watch your corn the whole time it’s in the oven.
4
Place your corn on a lined baking sheet to give it a crisp brown finish. Stretch a few pieces of aluminum foil over the surface of your baking sheet, tucking the edges over the rim of the sheet to cover the sides. Arrange your corn on top in rows, leaving 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) between each ear to ensure consistent cooking.^{[7]
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- There’s no need to use any additional oil, but it is a good idea to select a nonstick baking sheet in case the corn happens to shift off of the foil while it’s in the oven.
- Unlike wrapping the entire ear, which locks in moisture, lining your baking sheet will reflect heat while allowing moisture to escape, resulting in deliciously caramelized corn.
5
Cut the kernels off of your corn to make it easier to eat (optional). Run the blade of a sharp knife down the side of the ear with a gentle sawing motion to loosen the kernels from the cob. Repeat for each ear of corn you plan on cooking, then spread the kernels in a thin, even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Roast your corn as-is, or mix it with 1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil and ½ a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or other seasonings of choice (per ear) prior to putting it in the oven.^{[8]
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- If you’re in a pinch, pick up a bag of frozen off-the-cob sweet corn—all you’ll have to do is thaw it out and heat it until it’s cooked through.^{[9]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Cooking the Corn

1
Preheat your oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Select the “bake” or “convection” setting to cut down on your cook time. To make the best use of your time, finish getting your corn shucked, wrapped, or cut off the cob while the oven is warming up.^{[10]
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- If you’re roasting your corn off-the-cob, consider using the “broil” setting. This will give the loose kernels a nice lightly-charred crust.
2
Place your corn in the oven on the center rack. Once the oven has reached its targeted cooking temperature, all that’s left to do is put in the corn. Slide your baking sheet onto the rack lengthwise so it will be easier to remove later. Then, shut the oven door.

Tip: If you’ve opted to roast your corn in the husk, there’s no need to use a baking sheet at all—you can simply set the whole ear directly on the rack!^{[11]
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3
Roast your corn for 25-30 minutes, or until it's lightly browned. The method of preparation you chose shouldn’t affect your overall cook time too much. After about half an hour, the kernels should be perfectly tender and any flavorings you used will have had plenty of time to be absorbed.^{[12]
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- Switch on your oven's internal light so you can keep a close watch on naked and off-the-cob corn and remove it as soon as it starts to brown.
- Your corn won't need quite as long if you have your oven set on convection. Check it after about 20 minutes to see how it's looking.^{[13]
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4
Allow your corn to cool for about 5 minutes before eating it. Be sure to use an oven mitt to safely remove your baking sheet or whole husked corn from the oven. Your corn will be extremely hot when it first comes out of the oven, so it’s best to hold off on handling it for a few minutes.
- Corn has a high water content, which means the juices inside the kernels can get extremely hot. Enjoy carefully.
- For corn that’s been heated in the husk, make a small cut near the center of the fibrous covering to let out steam and help it cool faster. Remember to remove the husk once you can do so safely.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Serving Your Roasted Corn

1
Top your hot corn with melted butter. While your corn is cooling, spread ½-1 tablespoon (9-18 g) of softened butter onto the top of each ear. The rich texture and salty, savory taste lent by the melted butter is really all you need to savor roasted corn fresh out of the oven.^{[14]
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- Whip up your own herbed butter for additional flavor. It’s as easy as folding 5-8 tablespoons (or about ½ a cup) of fresh herbs into ½ a cup (120 g) of softened butter, then refrigerating it until it hardens.^{[15]
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2
Add salt, pepper, or other seasonings. Dust your corn with some kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper and dig in. If you want to dress things up a bit, use a dash of garlic salt, onion powder, or fiery cayenne pepper, as well.^{[16]
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- Use as much or as little of each seasoning as you like to suit your own personal preferences.
Tip: You could even put together your own special seasoning blend using spices like seasoned or lime-infused salt, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
3
Try making Mexican-style street corn. Load up corn on the cob with toppings like cotija cheese, cilantro, chili powder, smooth crema, and lime juice to make a roasted version of traditional elotes. Customizing your street corn is part of the fun, so feel free to use as much or as little of each ingredient as you like.^{[17]
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- Experiment with other toppings, such as fresh herbs, diced red onions, crumbled bacon, and sriracha, to come up with your own signature combinations.^{[18]
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- Street corn is a unique and tasty dish that can work just as well as an entree, side dish, or filling snack, depending on how hungry you are.
- You can serve off-the-cob corn street-style, too. Just pile your ingredients right on top to get the perfect amount in every bite!