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If you love corn, you are going to love my easy Corn Riblets with garlic butter sauce! These delectable corn ribs are slathered in garlic butter and grilled to perfection in just under 30 minutes. Perfect for a fun family dinner or for serving a crowd!
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Corn Ribs
My family never gets tired of a good corn recipe. Our go-to is usually Mexican street corn, but I love finding new ways to prepare it, and this recipe for corn ribs has quickly become a favorite in our household!
Corn riblet recipes are so much fun. You grill them like meat ribs, with a good coating of garlic butter sauce and a perfect blend of paprika, salt, and pepper. They are beyond flavorful, especially with a nice char from the grill!
If you have yet to try corn riblets, try mine. I promise you will love them as much as my family and I do. Serve them up with baby back ribs or BBQ pulled pork, and you will crave them the next time you make them!
Corn Ribs Recipe Ingredients
- Corn Cobs
- ButterÂ
- Olive Oil
- Minced Garlic
- Paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
How to Cut Corn Riblets
- Start by cutting the ends off of each cob of corn.
- Cut the corn in half length-wise.
- Finally, cut the corn again in half length-wise, so each cob of corn is cut into four pieces.
How to Make Corn Ribs
- Begin by heating your grill or a grill pan on the stove to medium-high heat. Cut your corn on the cob into quarters to make them into corn ribs, as instructed above.
- Place the corn in a casserole dish and cover completely with melted butter and olive oil.
- Sprinkle paprika, salt, and pepper over the corn along with minced garlic. Flip the corn in the casserole dish to fully coat each piece of corn in seasoning and the butter-oil mixture.
- Once the grill or pan is hot, add your corn ribs and cook until charred, 8-10 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until charred on the other side. The corn should begin to bend with a slight arch shape like a rib. You can continue to brush the corn ribs with garlic butter from the casserole dish as they cook.
- Serve and enjoy!
Corn Riblets Recipe Tips
- Try varying the seasoning you use for corn ribs. Like any corn recipe, they take on other flavors very well. I love paprika, salt, and pepper, but another variation my family loves is elote. Serving these corn ribs like Mexican street corn is a great way to enjoy two favorite recipes in one!
- It will take longer for the corn ribs to cook in the oven, and all ovens are different. To know when your corn ribs are ready to enjoy, look for that nice arch shape. They’ll start to curl when they’re ready to eat.
Oven Baked Corn Riblets
To make corn ribs in the oven, follow the instructions up to completely seasoning the corn ribs. Then, add them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 375ºF and bake for 30 minutes.
I like to give my corn ribs an extra char by placing them under the oven broiler for 1-2 minutes after they’re done cooking. Just be careful not to leave them under the broiler for too long!
Air Fryer Corn Ribs
To make corn ribs in the air fryer, follow the instructions to completely season the corn riblets. Layer the seasoned corn ribs in the air fryer basket or tray with a little space between each rib. Cook for 15 minutes at 375ºF, flipping halfway through for best results.
When I flip the ribs, I like to add a little more garlic butter sauce for extra flavor. Give it a try!
How to Fry Corn Ribs
To fry corn ribs, avoid seasoning them at first. Cut your corn into quarters as you would normally, then add the riblets to ½” frying oil in a wide frying pan. Make sure to give the corn ribs plenty of room to fry. Add them to the pan as soon as the oil starts to smoke, turning as necessary to brown all sides.
When done frying, drain the corn ribs on a paper towel and toss them in the seasoning mixture using tongs.
Corn Riblets FAQs
Corn ribs are, essentially, corn on the cob marinated in a sauce and seasoning and cut into quartered pieces to resemble ribs. Other variations of corn ribs include deep-fried and air-fried versions.
The cob is still attached to the corn rib, so you should eat it as if eating corn on the cob, enjoying only the kernels and not the cob. This gives a true rib experience!
You can reheat corn ribs in the microwave, oven, or air fryer. Reheat in the microwave in short intervals until heated through to your liking, or add to the oven or air fryer at 350°F. Wrap the corn ribs in foil, then heat for 5-7 minutes (3-4 minutes for the air fryer should do the trick).
Corn riblets are a trend that started as a viral video on TikTok and quickly spread in popularity online for being fun, delicious, and unique.
You do not need a grill to make corn ribs. You can make them on the stove, in the oven, or even in the air fryer!
How to Eat Corn Ribs
Eat corn ribs like you would eat regular ribs or corn on the cob, enjoying the kernels and leaving the cob. They are so delicious and served with BBQ staples like steak and pulled pork.
Corn Recipes
- Elote Recipe (traditional Mexican Street Corn)
- Street Corn Casserole
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Elote Dip
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
📋 Recipe
Corn Riblets
Equipment
- grill or grill pan
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 Corn Cobs
- 4 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 teaspoons Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Begin by heating your grill or a grill pan on the stove to medium-high heat. Cut off the ends of each cob of corn, then cut the corn in half length-wise. Cut the corn again in half length-wise, so each cob of corn is cut into fourths.4 Corn Cobs
- Place the corn in a casserole dish and cover completely with melted butter and olive oil.4 Tablespoons Butter, 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- Sprinkle paprika, salt, and pepper over the corn along with minced garlic. Flip the corn in the casserole dish to fully coat each piece of corn in seasoning and the butter-oil mixture.3 teaspoons Minced Garlic, 1 teaspoon Paprika, Salt and Pepper
- Once the grill or pan is hot, add your corn ribs and cook until charred, 8-10 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until charred on the other side. The corn should begin to bend with a slight arch shape like a rib. You can continue to brush the corn ribs with garlic butter from the casserole dish as they cook.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- 16 ribs will feed approximately 4-5 people.
- Try varying the seasoning you use for corn ribs. Like any corn recipe, they take on other flavors very well. I love paprika, salt and pepper, but another variation my family loves is elote. Serving these corn ribs like Mexican street corn is a great way to enjoy two favorite recipes in one!
- It will take longer for the corn ribs to cook in the oven, and all ovens are different. To know when your corn ribs are ready to enjoy, look for that nice arch shape. They’ll start to curl when they’re ready to eat.
Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!