Roasted Corn – Mexico Style!

Prepare your grill and get it fired up. I only use charcoal, so if you have a gas grill, just prep it the same way you would for any other grilling task.

While it’s heating, prep your corn. Peel down the husks, but leave them attached to the cob. Remove all the stringy corn silk that you can, then pull husk back up to cover the corn again. Soak corn in a sink or big bowl full of cool water for about 10 minutes. By now, your grill should be nice and hot, and the charcoal should be covered with gray ash (if using a charcoal grill).

Remove corn from sink and let most of the water drain out of the husks. Place on hot grill and turn it every few minutes to get a nice char on the husk (this gives a delicious smoky flavor to the corn while it steams in its own wrappings!) Grill for 15-20 minutes, or until desired doneness.

While the corn is grilling, you can prep your mayo sauce. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, and chili powder. Or if you prefer, just the mayo and lemon juice. The chili powder can be sprinkled on by each individual person to their own tastes.

When the corn is done, very carefully peel down the husks. (I usually let mine rest for a few minutes for safety purposes. That steam can hurt!) You can leave the husks attached as a makeshift handle if eating outside or just cut them off to prevent a mess if eating indoors.

Slather the sauce over the cobs and serve, or divide the sauce into individual little bowls for everyone to add their own. Sprinkle with chili powder if not already added to sauce, and ENJOY!

Leftover sauce also makes a delicious spread for turkey sandwiches or hamburgers!

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I first tried a version of this recipe while in a Mexican border town. It was served hot and fresh from a street vendor and I was so surprised they were using liquid lemon-mayo instead of butter and seasoning it with chili powder. I’ve made this many times and it’s always a hit in my house, even with my picky eater of a mother-in-law!