outsider-tries-corn-ribs-internet-current-grill-obsession

Outsider Tries Corn Ribs, The Internet’s Current Grill Obsession

Corn ribs are taking over the internet! Outsider has concocted our own traditional ribs-style recipe to fire up on the grill, and they deliver.

Ever heard of corn ribs? We hadn’t, but the world wide web is swearing by them as a summer treat.

On TikTok and the internet at large, Corn ribs are being toted as a clever, meat-free “alternative” to traditional ribs. As you can see by my grill spread below, however, this was not my intention. I like meat. A lot.

Regardless, it is 2021. In 2021, we try internet trends. And an Outsider knows a solid one when they see it. TikTok’s #CornRibs currently has more than 10.6 million views under its belt, after all. So I strapped in to give it the ol’ college try. We’re having corn on the barbie tonight!

The trend has its roots in the restaurant industry, but it’s taking off this summer courtesy of Feel Good Foodie founder Yumna Jawad. To achieve the desired result, corn cobs need to be sliced into vertical quarters – or fours. By the end of this slicing experience, I felt less like I was discovering a clever rib alternative and more like I was learning how to perform delicate surgery on corn cobs. It is a tricky thing to slice a cylindrical ear of corn into vertical quarters. Without any blood, that is.

But wait, “corn cobs aren’t curly!” you may be shouting at the screen. The curl you see above (and around the internet) is achieved once the cob slices are grilled at a high temperature. Preferably 400 degrees+. As Jawad notes, you can air fry or bake your corn, too. But Outsider never passes up a reason to fire up the grill.

Outsider’s Corn Rib Recipe Delivers the Goods

Outsider tries “corn ribs” on the grill! (Photo credit: Outsider, Jon D. Bumpus)

Before you do, however, the corn needs to be dressed with the herbs and spices of your choosing. But to achieve a true “corn ribs” experience, you’ll want to dress them as you would actual meat ribs. This is the route I went with the following:

  • Chili Powder
  • a pinch of Chipotle
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Black Pepper and a pinch of Salt
  • Mix with Olive Oil
  • Grill for 8 minutes on both sides at 400 degrees
  • Brush with herb butter

This sounds a bit over-complicated, but just use whatever’s in your pantry that you would put on traditional ribs.

Corn Ribs Rock, But Prep Is Tricky

outsider-tries-corn-ribs-internet-current-grill-obsession

Through it all, I expected to count this experiment as a loss before the “ribs” even hit the table. It felt an overly complicated miss, unlike my last Outsider Tries venture, the Pickle Beer, which is as simple-yet-brilliant as it sounds.

But then corn ribs met mouths. And in short: my household is sold.

The blend of herbs and spices, coupled with the herb butter brushed on after grilling, does the trick. Not only that, but more importantly – the whole “rib” gimmick here really works. Corn ribs demand to be eaten much the same way as traditional ribs: a hand on each side and leftovers in your beard.

Slicing the ears into quarters allows for the cob to be cooked throughout. Much more evenly-cooked kernels and a perfectly juicy crunch are the results.

In the end, Outsider‘s final verdict is: Tricky prep, but worth the effort.

Long live corn ribs!