Cooking Corn On The Cob In The Oven

Effortless Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob With Husks

Photo by Linda Xiao

Test Kitchen-Approved

Author Notes

So corn on the cob is a hot commodity for grilling, boiling, and microwaving. But here is a technique that blows all those out of the water. Not only is it simple and mess-free, but it also tastes like corn should taste: yellow kernels of candy. —me brumbaugh

Test Kitchen Notes

Summer is definitely the best time of the year to enjoy fresh, in-season corn, and we can't get enough of it. Though you can prepare it in a variety of ways, this is by far one of our favorites. Yes, you can quickly cook your corn on the cob in a pot of boiling water or in the microwave, but the flavor payoff by roasting in the oven is well worth it, trust us. It'll take about half an hour for the corn to roast and you have to let the ears cool a little bit before husking, but it's so easy and hands-off, you'll wonder why you haven't prepared corn this way before. Plus, there's no cleanup, since you can roast the corn directly on the oven rack, so you won't have to wash any pots or pans, which is an added bonus. Roasting the corn in their husks results in the best texture and brings out the kernels' signature sweetness. This method is extremely fail-proof, and your family and friends are going to love it.

You could eat the corn on its own, or you can add the kernels to salads or pastas. Try using this handy cob corn stripper if you need to take the kernels off the cob. If you're roasting the corn as a side, we also highly recommend serving it with some flavored butter. A little garlic plus some fresh herbs from the garden would help put the butter over the top. Or try with some crushed red pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lime juice, but make sure that the beautifully roasted corn is the star. —The Editors

Cook time 30 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients

6 ears of corn

Directions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 400°F. Leave the corn on the cob with its husks and silks attached. Arrange the corn on the oven rack lengthwise and spaced 1 inch apart.
Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the center cob and pull back the husks just enough to test for doneness; the corn should have swollen shiny kernels with a few browned ones too.
Remove the corn from the oven. Let cool for 15 minutes. Wrap a kitchen towel around the base of a corn cob to hold it without getting burned as the husks retain some heat. Pull back the husks and silks at the same time; they will come off easily.