A corn grilling basket is a cooking utensil which is designed to hold corn while it is grilled or roasted over a fire. While other tools can be adapted to serve the same purpose, a corn grilling basket makes the process of grilling corn much easier, and it can also be used as a serving tray as well. Since grilled corn is a popular summer treat, and corn grilling baskets are generally inexpensive, some cooks find them worthwhile investments. Some kitchen supply stores stock corn grilling baskets, especially in the summer months, and they may be available through special order as well.
The design of a corn grilling basket is very simple. It consists of metal molded into half rounds and hinged. When the hinge is closed and the latches are snapped shut, the semi-circles meet up, forming complete circles which can hold whole ears of corn. Generally, a corn grilling basket holds four ears of corn, although some are larger. A wooden handle is used to manipulate the corn grilling basket while keeping the hands of the chef cool, and some are also adjustable to accommodate ears of corn of different sizes.
To use the device, a cook shucks corn and dresses it as desired before snapping it inside. The corn grilling basket can either be placed directly onto a grill, or held over a fire. Once the corn on the cob starts to turn golden and cooked on one side, the basket is rotated to cook the other side. After the corn has cooked to satisfaction, it can be removed and brought to the table in the corn grilling basket, or transferred to a serving dish. A variation is the vegetable grilling basket, a mesh basket designed to keep vegetables from falling through onto the coals.
Basic grilled corn can be made by shucking corn, brushing it lightly with olive oil, and grilling it. The addition of herbs and spices can make grilled corn much more flavorful and interesting, however. Some cooks like to shuck all but the inner layers before soaking the corn so that it essentially steams in the husk, rather than being directly cooked. Seasoned oil or butter can be slipped under the husks to saturate the corn with flavor while it cooks.
Once removed from the grill, grilled corn can also be dressed with butter or other sauces. Many consumers prefer to eat it directly on the cob, in which case corn holders can be very handy. The corn cobs may also be stripped with the use of a sharp knife so that the corn is brought to the table in kernel form.