Lately there has been a frozen product in the grocery store that I have been tempted to try. Corn Ribs. PC Smokin' Stampede Corn Ribs. My sister bought them once to try and they were not bad. Pre-seasoned and slightly spicy, but a bit on the pricy side for what they were.
Corn season is beginning here in Nova Scotia. I love LOVE sweet corn. In the U.K. they did not really have good fresh corn. It all comes from Kenya and how can corn that has been picked in Kenya and then shipped thousands of miles, peeled, ever taste as good as it should?
When you have grown up eating fresh corn on the cob within hours of it being picked, nothing else quite ever satisfies. It is saying something when canned corn tastes better than the fresh corn, and that is how it was.
I even tried growing my own corn there one year. From a whole package of peaches and cream corn seeds, I got four 3 inch ears. They just don't have the climate to grow their own corn.
One of the things I was looking forward to when I moved back to Canada from the U.K. was corn season! This is my second summer of being able to enjoy it and I am right in my glory.
During corn season I like to try out different ways of cooking it, and top of my list this year was to try to cook Roasted Corn Ribs. There had to be a way that was cheaper and maybe even tastier than the frozen ones!
This Roasted Corn Ribs recipe that I am sharing today was adapted from one I found on a blog called Sunny With Shadows. There were more recipes to choose from, of course, but this one seemed to be the easiest.
There are no bells and whistles, no hoops to jump through. Just simple natural ingredients, put together in a simple way. That is how I like to cook in my everyday life as you know!
I took the liberty of downsizing the original recipe to make only two servings of corn. I have my daughter staying here with me this week and I thought that this was something she would also enjoy.
This was such an easy recipe. The hardest part was cutting the cobs to the right size. Those corn cobs are incredibly hard, but with a sharp knife and a bit of strength, I managed to get through them!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROASTED CORN RIBS (FOR TWO)
Simple natural ingredients. A bit of corn, some oil and seasonings.
- 2 fresh ears of corn
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- fresh lime wedges to squeeze
The corn I used for this was the early bi-color corn. It is so lovely and sweet. Nice and tender too. We picked this up at Goucher's farm market and it had just been picked that morning.
As soon as it is picked, corn starts to lose its natural sweetness and develop starch, and once you husk it, this accelerates the process.
Have you ever had corn that is overly starchy, not so sweet and kind of chewy? That is old corn. Past it's prime.
This corn had just been picked and still had it's husks on it. We just knew it was going to be delicious no matter how we cooked it!
TIPS ON CHOOSING THE FRESHEST CORN POSSIBLE
If you follow these tips you can be pretty sure your corn will be really fresh and tasty!
1. If the corn feels heavy and firm when you pick it up, that is generally a good indication that it is a good ear of corn. There is no need to pull back any of the husks to check. Most farm markets are not happy when you do that. It ruins the corn for anyone else.
2. The husks should look fresh and be tightly wrapped/affixed around the cob. If they are dry and loose, don't buy it. That is an indication of old corn.
3. Make sure that the tassel is still attached and that it also looks pretty fresh and not dry. This is going to be your main helper in husking the corn.
HOW TO EASILY HUSK (SHUCK) CORN ON THE COB
- Take your corn in hand, one cob at a time and peel off the outer leaves. You want to peel it until you only have one thin layer of inner leaves remaining around the ear. -Peel back the leaves that are left at the tip of the cob, just until you can see the top few rows of kernels.
-Grab the tops of the leaves and the tassel together in one hand, holding the bottom of the ear of corn with your opposite hand. Pull the leaves and tassels straight down using one firm tug. You will need to pull all the way to the bottom.
-Gather the leaves and silks in one hand, snapping them off at the base of the ear of corn. Discard the leaves, silks, and tassels, and repeat this action all the way around the cob.
- Run your fingers over the husked cob and pick away any remaining silks. It is almost impossible to ge them all, but you can get most of them.
-Repeat with the remaining ears of corn. Some corn silk can be particularly stubborn. I find though that this method helps to get rid of almost if not all of the silk.
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED CORN RIBS
Like I said, cutting the corn is the most difficult part of this recipe!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Spray a baking sheet lightly with some non-stick baking spray.Husk your corn, cleaning off all of the silk and tassels. Break each cob in half in the center. (see above)Using a sharp knife, slice lengthwise down the cobs to cut the halves into halves yet again and then cut the halves lengthwise again into quarters. (This is the hardest part, so do take care and use the sharpest heaviest knife you have.)
Mix the oil and seasonings in a plastic zip lock baggie. Add the pieces of corn and give them a good shake and massage to coat each piece well.Place into a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Serve hot with lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
You can add or use other seasonings which are also delicious such as dry ranch salad dressing mix, dry Italian salad dressing mix, Taco seasoning, etc. Experiment with your favorites!
This was really, REALLY good. Dare I say it? Oh why not. This was way better than the frozen version. It was a bit hard cutting through the cobs, but not impossible.
The flavors were amazing. Not too spicy. Just right. Squeezing lime juice on it at the end was a really nice touch! We both really enjoyed this!
If you are fond of corn like I am fond of corn, then you might also enjoy the following recipes:
EASIEST CORN ON THE COB - This is the easiest, tastiest way of cooking corn on the cob. When you are a single person or even a couple, or only have a few cobs to cook, this is the quickest and most delicious way to cook corn on the cob. I will never ever cook corn on the cob for eating on the cob any other way again.
HOMESTYLE CREAMED CORN -I love tinned cream corn and this is a bazillion times better. I really only make it when fresh corn is in season, so its a once a year kind of a treat! I could eat a whole bowl of this with a slice of buttered bread and nothing else!
Yield: 2Author: Marie Rayner
Roasted Corn Ribs
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 MinSuch an easy thing to make with fresh corn and so tasty. Lightly spiced, these make a wonderful side dish in August when the corn is ripe. Something different!Ingredients
- 2 fresh ears of corn
- 1 TBS light olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- fresh lime wedges to squeeze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Spray a baking sheet lightly with some non-stick baking spray.
- Husk your corn, cleaning off all of the silk and tassels. Break each cob in half in the center.
- Using a sharp knife, slice lengthwise down the cobs to cut the halves into halves yet again and then cut the halves lengthwise again into quarters. (This is the hardest part, so do take care and use the sharpest heaviest knife you have.)
- Mix the oil and seasonings in a plastic zip lock baggie. Add the pieces of corn and give them a good shake and massage to coat each piece well.
- Place into a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Serve hot with lime wedges for squeezing
Notes
You can add or use other seasonings which are also delicious such as dry ranch salad dressing mix, dry Italian salad dressing mix, Taco seasoning, etc. Experiment with your favorites!
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