Your finger-lickin’ cure for BBQ envy

The last gasp of summer calls for a fresh spin on corn

Hey crew, and welcome back to Cool Beans! Summer’s gone, but we’re pleased to report that corn season stretches into fall in most of the country. We’d be remiss if we didn’t give corn its own moment—especially if we’re talking about corn ribs, a viral veggie trend that’s an antidote to any plant-eaters’ BBQ FOMO.

For the unfamiliar, corn ribs are not a direct substitute for meat, but rather a method for cooking ears into a satisfying curved analog. They are so fun to eat that even carnivores can’t really complain. Their exact origin is a bit of a mystery, but restaurants like Momofuku Ssam Bar have been serving corn ribs since 2017. With a little patience and a sharp knife, you can make them yourself at home and flavor them however you like. Shall we? 

These ears are ribs

Credit: Gabriella Vigoreaux

So what exactly is a corn rib? Essentially it’s a way of slicing kernels so a sliver of the cob is still attached. This allows you to pick it up in smaller portions and gnaw off the kernels kinda how you’d eat a rib. Instead of bone, you’re left with a thin strip of cob at the end. As the ribs cook, they curl up and become the perfect shape for dunking in sauce. All you need is some corn, a sharp knife, and a steady surface. (We also suggest sliding a damp kitchen towel under your cutting board to keep it from scooting around the counter.) Corn ribs can be fried, grilled, roasted, or air-fried, but the latter two methods are the least fussy and yield supremely crispy results. 

In-season corn is perfect on its own (it has the juice!), but when it comes to ribs, just like with meaty versions, nobody likes a naked one. To make our corny ribs sing, we’re calling in an old friend from the pantry to up the meatiness of these humble grains. Remember Marmite? That secret umami agent amps up our spiced honey butter, which we slather over the hot kernels when they exit the oven. We suggest you double the recipe: Trust us, you’ll want extras for schmearing on toast, biscuits, or cornbread. 

Corn Ribs with Marmite Honey Butter