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cast iron skillet filled with charred blackened corn topped with feta, cilantro and lime wedges

Charred Corn


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Tara Smithson
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings 1x

Description

This Charred Corn recipe is blackened to perfection in a cast iron skillet. It packs a nice smoky heat and is delicious as a side dish or on tacos, nachos, burgers and more. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 ears of fresh sweet corn on the cob, husks and strings (corn silk) removed
  • 2 teaspoons fresh jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed and diced fine
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • Optional topping: 1/8 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese

Blackened Seasoning:

  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Into a medium bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sea salt. Set aside.
  2. Remove the corn from the cob by holding the corn upright in a bowl or on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to shave the kernels off the cob. Do this slowly to prevent them from flying everywhere.
  3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and add in the vegetable oil. Allow it to get hot for a minute or two. Do not allow it to smoke. Add in the corn and jalapeño. This should give a nice sizzle. Allow the mixture to cook for 3 minutes without stirring.
  4. Then, stir and cook for another 6 minutes until nice and charred, stirring every few minutes. If the corn starts popping, reduce the heat.
  5. Pour over the blackened seasoning and stir well to incorporate. Continue to cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
  6. Reduce heat to low and toss in butter, cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine and cook for one minute until butter melts. Turn off heat and salt to taste. Corn is something I like nice and salted, so I typically add in about 1/2 teaspoon more.
  7. Serve with lime wedges and sprinkle with feta if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Make sure to get all the stringy corn silk off the corn before cutting off the kernels.
  • When slicing the corn off the cob, make sure you are cutting as close as you can to the cob, to get the full corn kernel off.
  • This recipe is one that requires a little skill behind knowing when to stir. If you over stir, the corn will not get charred enough, but under stirring can cause burning. Keep an eye on the corn and watch for too much popping or burning, but make sure you allow enough time between stirring to allow the corn to brown.
  • Unless you are looking for a lot of heat, be sure to remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño.
  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: Blackened
  • Cuisine: Mexican