The Ultimate Corn Ribs

A corn rib being dunked into Southwest dipping sauce

5 from 3 votes

Say goodbye to traditional corn on the cob, and hello to corn ribs! With options for grilling, oven baking, and air frying, they're about to redefine your corn eating experience.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, TexMex

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: ribs

Calories: 32kcal

Author: Dr. Sonali Ruder

Ingredients

Corn ribs:

4 cobs fresh corn
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional: cilantro or scallions for garnish

Southwest Dipping Sauce:

¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 pinch kosher salt

Instructions

Prep the corn by shucking it and removing the husks and silk. Microwave the corn for 2 minutes to soften it. Let the corn cool.
Place the corn on a cutting board and with a sharp chef's knife, cut both ends off the cobs. To make it easier to cut the corn into ribs, I recommend then cutting each cob of corn in half crosswise.
Stand each piece of corn up vertically on its flat end. Cut down the top of the corn cob through the center of the flat side, cutting it in half. Then, stand each corn cob half upright on the cutting board and cut down the center again, cutting it into quarters.
To make the herb butter sauce, mix the oil, melted butter, paprika, garlic powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Pour most of the mixture onto the corn ribs (reserve some of the sauce for brushing on the corn after it’s cooked). Toss to coat the corn with the sauce.
To cook on the grill: Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat and brush with oil. Grill the seasoned corn ribs, kernel side down, about 8 minutes until curled up and lightly charred. Flip and cook on the cut sides 1 minute each.
To bake in the oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the corn ribs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until done. If desired, you can turn the broiler on at the end for 1-2 minutes to lightly char the ribs. The ribs won't curl up as much with this method but they will still be delicious.
To cook in the air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Place corn ribs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Remove the corn ribs and brush them with the remaining herb butter sauce. Arrange them on a platter and serve with Southwest dipping sauce or other desired sauce.
To make the Southwest dipping sauce, mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, chili powder, garlic powder, lime juice, and a pinch of salt together in a small bowl.

Notes

It's important to be careful when cutting the corn into ribs. Make sure you have a sharp, sturdy knife. The center cob can be tough and a sharp knife makes it much easier and safer.
I recommend putting a wet paper towel under your cutting board for stability. This will prevent the board from moving while you're cutting the corn (this is a culinary school trick!).
To make it easier to cut through the corn cobs, microwave the corn cobs for 2 minute first to soften them. Let the corn cool and then proceed with cutting.
Serve the corn ribs plain or dunk them in your favorite dipping sauce for maximum flavor. I like to serve them with my Southwest dipping sauce however, you can serve them with hot sauce, chili mayo sauce, BBQ sauce, cilantro lime sauce, etc.
For a Mexican street corn experience, you can top the corn ribs with a drizzle of mayonnaise, crumbled cotija cheese, lime juice, and cilantro.

Nutrition