Summer is in the air, and so is fresh, delicious corn on the cob! Corn has gotten a bad wrap lately due to the high fructose corn syrup industry and its contributions to the diabetes and obesity epidemics in the US. When not forced into unnaturally high concentrations of sugar content, corn is actually a delicious and nutritious food. I love grilling corn in the summer, but if I’m too lazy to start up the grill, I often like to saute my fresh corn. Sauteing achieves a delicious caramelization and sweetness that, in my opinion, surpasses the flavors you can obtain through grilling. Enter this garlic butter sauteed corn recipe. I call this my crack corn because it has been a crowd pleaser at family gatherings and friends get-togethers. It can become seriously addictive. The combination of corn’s natural sweetness, salty bite, a bit of a kick from the pepper and red pepper flake, and the nuttiness achieved from the caramelization process in butter….this corn dish is one of my all-time favorites. I often serve this as a side for decadent steak dinners because the sweetness of the corn adds a pleasant contrast to the richness of the steak and its heavy friends of mashed potato and mac and cheese.
Garlic Butter Sauteed Corn
Ingredients
- 4 ears fresh corn on the cob
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 1 pinch red pepper flake
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 sprigs scallion finely chopped
- 1 tsp fish sauce optional
Instructions
- Cut corn off of the cob.
- Heat a skillet on high heat and add butter and oil. Once butter is melted and well incorporated with oil, add shallots and red pepper flake. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat or until shallots are softened.
- Add corn and continue to sauté on medium heat for ~10 minutes or until corn becomes slightly golden brown. Stir frequently as it will stick.
- Add garlic and scallions and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Continue to sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Optional: add a little splash of fish sauce for extra umami.
Cooking Tips for Garlic Butter Sauteed Corn
- This garlic butter sauteed corn is best when you use fresh corn on the cob. However, frozen corn would also do the trick. You might need to add a tablespoon of sugar halfway into the sauteing process to add some sweetness that is often lost in frozen corn.
- I add garlic toward the end of cooking of this dish because if you add garlic too soon, it could burn before your corn has finished cooking. In general this is a good rule of thumb when you are doing sautes that do not include the addition of wines, broth, or any other kind of liquid. Stir-fries are an exception because the vegetables used often release liquid into the pan, which prevent garlic from burning during the cooking process.
- If you want to infuse your dish with a specific herb or spice, make sure to sauté it in your cooking oil for a minute or two before adding other ingredients. In this dish, I did this with both red pepper flake and shallot, as well as garlic toward the end.
This is a great side dish to a yummy prime rib dinner.
