Mexican Street Corn Ribs make a flavorful addition to any meal cooked on the grill. These corn riblets are sweet, crunchy and covered with creamy Cotija cheese.
A whole ear of corn can be too much to eat when your plate is already full of your favorite grilled foods. But you won’t be able to pass on these sweet ribs of cheesy grilled corn. Mexican Street Corn Ribs are a great way to serve smaller portions of corn without skimping on flavor.
Serve this crunchy summer side dish with Grilled Chicken Quesadillas, Fish Tacos or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas for a complete meal your family will love. Mexican Coleslaw would make another great addition to the menu.
And it all begins with FRESH sweet corn, which can be found at your local farmer’s market from mid-June to early September. Remove the husk and cut the whole ear lengthwise into ribs about 4-5 inches long. Don’t remove the core, as it will hold the kernels together and allow for easy cooking on the grill.
How to cut the corn into ribs?
- Select fresh corn and remove the silk and husks from each ear. Trim off tips and stem ends.
- Lay an ear on a flat cutting board and cut the ear in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Place each half ear on the flat side and cut in half again, giving you 4 quarters. Cut each quarter into two shorter pieces. Repeat with remaining ears of corn. You will get 8 ribs from each ear.
- Place the ribs on a sheet pan. This makes them easy to season before cooking them on the grill.
Mexican Street Corn Ribs Recipe
There are 4 basic ingredients needed to make corn ribs. Be sure to pick corn that is fresh, sweet and free from blemishes and insects to use for this recipe.
Key Ingredients:
- Fresh Corn
- Taco Seasoning
- Mayonnaise
- Crumbled Cotija Cheese
The corn ribs are seasoned with a blend of Mexican spices and grilled until cooked through. Use mayonnaise to coat the ribs and roll them in crumbled Cotija cheese to finish them.
It is easy to make your own taco seasoning for this recipe. This allows you to make it as salty or spicy as you wish, simply by adjusting the amount of each spice used. It is also cheaper than buying taco seasoning and the leftover seasoning can be used in so many recipes.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for extra spicy heat
Instructions:
Mix all spices in a small bowl until combined. Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper if desired.
Recipe makes one ounce (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) of taco seasoning to use in your favorite Mexican dishes.
More of the Best Corn Recipes
- Cowboy Caviar
- Broccoli Corn Salad
- Grilled Corn Salad
- Mexican Coleslaw
- Sweet Corn Salsa
- Chicken Corn Chowder
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Mexican Street Corn Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 ears corn, fresh, cut into ribs
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, or parsley, chopped
- lime wedges, for garnish
Instructions
- Select fresh corn and remove the silk and husks from each ear. Trim off tips and stem ends.
- Lay an ear on a flat cutting board and carefully cut the ear in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Lay each half ear on the flat side and cut in half again, giving you 4 quarters. Cut each quarter into two shorter pieces. Repeat with remaining ears of corn. You will get 8 ribs from each ear.
- Lay the ribs on a sheet pan. Spray the corn ribs lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle taco seasoning over each rib.
- Heat grill to 350 degrees F. Place corn ribs in a grill basket or on foil on the grill. Cook for 15 minutes, turning the ribs every 5 minutes. Ribs will be golden brown when done.
- Remove corn ribs from the grill and brush with mayonnaise while warm. Roll each rib in crumbled Cotija cheese. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges, if desired. Recipe makes 6 servings/4 ribs per serving.
Equipment
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 grill heated to 350 degrees
- 1 pair of tongs
