Grilled Corn with Miso Butter and Sesame Salt
- Makes6 servings
- Cook Time45 minutes
- Active time plus coolingplus grill prep
We balance the toasty sweetness of grilled corn with the creamy-salty richness of butter, miso, sesame and salt. To keep the cooking simple, we borrow cookbook author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s clever idea of using a disposable aluminum pan to contain the ears on the grill. We first steam the corn in the pan so the kernels remain plump, then char the butter-coated ears directly over the fire. For maximum flavor, we like sake as the steaming liquid, but water works, too. Scallions and sesame salt, called gomashio in Japanese, are the final flourish. Gomashio is a multipurpose seasoning—sprinkle it on rice, stir-fries and grilled foods of all sorts. Sesame seeds packaged in jars and sold on the supermarket spice rack usually are hulled. We prefer unhulled seeds—they are larger, rounder, appear more plump, and have a richer, nuttier flavor.
Don’t step away while toasting the sesame-salt mixture. Continuous stirring ensures even browning without scorching. Make sure to transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool, the pan’s residual heat can over-toast the seeds.
Step 1
To make the sesame salt, in an 8-inch skillet over medium, toast the sesame seeds and ½ teaspoon salt, continuously stirring and tossing, until golden brown and wisps of smoke rise from the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely; reserve the skillet.
Step 2
Using a mortar and pestle and working in batches as needed, grind the sesame-salt mixture to a combination of finely ground and nearly whole seeds. Alternatively, in two batches, pulse the mixture in a spice grinder. Return the sesame salt to the bowl and set aside.
Step 3
To prepare the corn, in the same skillet over medium, combine the butter and miso. As the butter melts, whisk to combine; when the mixture is smooth and emulsified, pour it into a 9-by-13-inch (or similarly sized) disposable aluminum pan. Stir in the sake, lime juice, sesame oil and ½ teaspoon white pepper; set aside.
Step 4
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute the coals evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 minutes, then clean and oil the grate. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate; leave the primary burner on high and turn the remaining burner(s) to low.
Step 5
Place the aluminum pan on the cooler side of the grill; rewarm the butter mixture for a few minutes. Place the corn in the pan and roll the ears to coat on all sides. Cover and cook on the cooler side of the grill, rotating the ears about every 5 minutes, until the corn is tender, about 15 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the corn from the pan and place the ears on the hot side of the grill; remove the pan from the grill, leaving in any remaining butter-miso mixture. Cook the corn, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until spottily charred all over, 7 to 10 minutes. As the ears are done, return them to the pan and roll them in the remaining butter-miso mixture. Transfer to a platter, sprinkling all sides with sesame salt and scallions.
