To me, corn means the end of summer. Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I was surrounded by corn fields. Late summer meant trips to the local market to buy delicious, fresh corn. Then we’d bring it home and eat it that night – the fresher the better.
Corn on the cob is great. It really doesn’t need much. As long as you don’t overcook it, it’s pretty hard to screw up corn. That said, I also love elotes. It takes more work than the usual butter and salt, but it’s just so good.
Jump to RecipeCooking the Corn
The first step in making elotes is to cook the corn. You can do this on a grill or in your oven. You just want a cooking method that’s hot and fast. The corn needs to brown without getting dry. This means that boiling is not the best because it won’t brown the corn, and slow cooking methods are out because they make the corn dry.
So grilling or broiling it is.
If it’s an option for you, then grilling is preferred. It adds an extra element of flavor you just won’t get in an oven. For the same reason, a charcoal grill is preferred to a gas grill. It adds more flavor. That said, I find it a bit wasteful to light a bunch of charcoal just to grill a few ears of corn. So unless I already have the charcoal lit for some other reason, I fire up the propane or turn on the broiler.
When cooking corn on a grill, your goal is to get it as hot as possible. So, either use a lot of charcoal or set the gas burners to full. Once the grill is roaring hot, lay the corn on the grill. Turn the corn every couple minutes until all sides have some nice browning. It should take 2-3 minutes per “side.”
Just be careful and don’t let it burn. You’re looking for brown – not black.
What if you don’t have a grill? Or want some elotes in January? Turn on the broiler.
A broiler is basically an upside-down grill. Move an oven rack to the highest spot, turn the broiler to high, and then put the corn directly under the heating element. It’s hard to predict how long this will take. It took 5 minutes per side under this broiler, but this broiler isn’t very hot. You really just have to keep an eye on it. Also, some ovens won’t let the broiler run if the door’s open, so you have to know your oven and watch closely.
Elotes Sauce
Elotes sauce is super simple to make. Just mix together some mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, and hot sauce. When it comes to the hot sauce, just check the ingredients so you know what you’re eating.
Cotija cheese is a crumbly, salty cheese. If you can’t find it, finely crumbled feta is a great substitute. Also, I know some people hate mayonnaise. If this applies to you, just leave it out and double the sour cream. You won’t notice much difference.
Finishing the Elotes
Once you’ve cooked the corn and made the sauce, you’re good to go. Just put the corn on a plate and slather it with sauce. Top with some more crumbled cotija or some cilantro and go to town. It’s messy and delicious.
What if you aren’t a fan of corn on the cob (ie, corn stuck in your teeth…)? Or maybe you want some elotes in the winter? No problem.
Buy some organic, frozen corn kernels and add them to a heavy pan with a couple tablespoons of butter. Cook the kernels until they start to brown and pour them into a bowl. Combine the kernels with the sauce, top with extra cotija and some cilantro. Then squeeze a little lime juice on top.
Serve alongside some great ribs or with a tasty burrito.
Elotes – Mexican Street Corn
Ingredients
- 4 cobs organic corn see note*
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise see note**
- 1/4 cup sour cream see note**
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese crumbled, see note***
- 1/2 Tbsp hot sauce see note****
- cilantro chopped, for serving
- cotija cheese crumbled, for serving
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Peel the corn and remove the silk. Try to keep some of the stalk. It's a great handle.Cook the corn on a grill or under a broiler until nice and browned. This should take 2-5 minutes per "side," depending on your cooking method.
- While the corn is cooking, add the mayo, sour cream, cotija, and hot sauce to a bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Once the corn is finished cooking and cool enough to handle, spread a good layer of sauce all over the corn.
- Top with extra cotija, cilantro, and/or a squeeze of lime. Serve.
- If making the bowl version, just remove the corn from the cob with a sharp knife once it's cool enough to handle. Then stir the kernels together with a couple tablespoons of sauce. Top with cotija, cilantro, and/or a squeeze of lime.