The Chef-Recommended Seasoning Blend To Take Corn Ribs To The Next Level

Corn will always be on our menus during grilling season, but it takes something special to elevate it from a simple side to the main affair. Cutting corn on the cobs down into corn ribs does this, and flavoring it with the right seasonings effectively solidifies the vegetable as a beloved entree. We spoke to a chef to learn his preferred spice blend for corn ribs.

Corn ribs come from ears of corn that have been sliced into the shapes of ribs. It's such a simple upgrade, but it elevates the experience. They need more than simply salt, pepper, and butter, and Chef Takahiro Sakaeda of Nami Nori has the ideal spice blend that's probably already in your kitchen. "Bay seasoning on a corn rib is to die for, I can't imagine using anything else," Sakaeda says. Old Bay is a delectable combination of sweet and umami with a dash of spice. It makes the sweet corn even more mouthwatering, and we sneak it onto the kernels every chance we get.

The spice blend is already a fixture of festive seafood boils, which feature corn on the cob. With corn ribs, you can focus solely on the vegetable. The structure and smaller size of corn ribs makes it easier for the seasoning to permeate through the entire vegetable rather than it stopping at the cob, making each bite as flavorful as the next. And if you don't have the spice, you can make your own homemade Old Bay seasoning.

Old Bay seasoning packs so much flavor that enhances the corn, but you can incorporate some additional ingredients to elevate the spice blend as well. Chef Sakaeda does this on the Nami Nori menu by flavoring the fire roasted corn ribs with an agave vegan butter glaze, lime juice, and bay seasoning. While the butter gives the corn a more luscious flavor, the agave pulls more sweetness out from the bay seasoning, while the lime juice brightens everything.

The combination of sweet, buttery, and zesty certainly elevates the flavor of the corn ribs, and you can try a similar thing at home. Add a touch of honey or agave nectar to Old Bay compound butter before rubbing it into the corn ribs and finishing them off with a dash of freshly-squeezed lime or lemon juice. It also helps to marinate your corn so that the flavor can better seep into the kernels. Mix the Old Bay seasoning with oil before tossing the corn ribs in it, or simply let the corn sit with some compound butter.

For a super simple way to upgrade grilled corn, brine it before cooking. The process not only allows the flavors to better infuse the corn ribs but makes them juicier as well. The brine doesn't have to just be salted water — pour the Old Bay seasoning in there along with some citrus slices.