Mexican Street Corn on a Stick
Grilled sweet corn is a summer staple, right? Kick it up a notch with my grilled Mexican Street Corn on a Stick… After your corn is grilled, slather it with a slimmed down mixture of plain Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, ancho, garlic, lime, and of course, cotija and more cilantro. It’s a bit more work, but so tasty, and definitely worth the effort!
I’ve seen zero evidence of any nation on Earth other than Mexico even remotely having the slightest clue what Mexican food is about or even come close to reproducing it.
It is perhaps the most misunderstood country and cuisine on Earth.
~~ Anthony Bourdain
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Healthy Mexican Food
I agree with Anthony Bourdain. I was born and raised in southern California… My parents took us to Baja California (Mexico) as children, for trinkets and street food in Tijuana, and further south for the excellent fishing.
Even growing up in southern California, my perception of Mexican food was formed by the menus of popular (cheap) Mexican restaurants, and the American versions we cooked at home. Tacos, enchiladas, chile rellenos were heavy on fats and calories, and delicious. It wasn’t until years later when we “landed” in Las Cruces, New Mexico that I began to realize we had not understood the varied, wonderful, and healthy cuisine of Mexico.
I began to cook with Hatch green chile (New Mexico) and poblano, ancho, serrano, guajillo chiles (Mexico). I discovered the salty pleasure of a bit of aged cotija, and abandoned the familiar cheddar and jack cheeses I’d been accustomed to using. I even began cooking dishes without cheese… perish the thought! 😆 Mexican cuisine has so much to offer.
In my nearly 2 years in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley near the Gulf of Mexico, my burgeoning love of Mexican flavors and cooking are probably quite apparent here on Beyond Mere Sustenance? The abundance of seafood, citrus, and chiles has opened a whole new world of south-of-the-border cooking like these fried oyster tacos and this pan-seared Mexican fish!
🌽 What is Elote?
So, no more chasing rabbits… I promise. Elote is an antojito or snack. It is a popular Mexican street food, and why not? Grilled Mexican sweet corn on a stick with a glorious creamy sauce… what’s not to love?
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- plain Greek yogurt – If calories and fat are not an issue, by all means substitute Mexican crema or sour cream!
- mayonnaise – I use olive oil mayonnaise, but the choice is yours.
- cotija – Cotija is a crumbly Mexican cheese that works really well for elote. I like the bolder, saltier flavor of aged cotija. You can substitute another crumbly cheese, but it’s not ideal.
- ground red chile powder – Ancho, chipotle, or New Mexico red chile powder are perfect. Please do not substitute generic “chili powder.” It’s a spice blend that probably includes salt and other ingredients.
- garlic
- cilantro
- fresh lime juice
- 4 ears sweet corn
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Preheat the grill – Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 400°.
- Prepare the corn – Husk the corn. Snap in two (if desired). Skewer (if desired).
- Make the sauce – Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Taste for seasoning. Set aside.
- Grill the corn – Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate. Remove the corn from the grill and cool 5 minutes.
- Finish the elote – Using a basting brush, generously “paint” the corn with the sauce. Garnish with additional crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro as desired.
❓FAQ
I don’t think so. When I make elote, I allow 1 ear per person, and do not plan on leftovers. I do, however, occasionally grill extra corn for a black bean and corn salad in the next day or two.
Serve your Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote) with a Mexican-style pork chop like my Mexican Spiced Pork Chops With Salsa Verde and Cotija or Citrus Marinated Pork Chops with Hatch Green Chile. For a lighter option, try my Spicy Cilantro Lime Shrimp Skewers. For more main dishes with Mexican flare, check out my Mexican category.
💭 Tip
There is no dainty way to eat elote. I find that snapping the corn in half and putting them on a skewer makes them easier to grill and eat them.
Mexican Street Corn on a Stick Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup olive oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons cotija - more for garnish, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons ancho or chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic - I like roasted garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro - more for garnish, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- several grinds sea salt - to taste
Grilled Corn
- 4 ears sweet corn - snapped in half
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Husk the corn. Snap in two (if desired). Skewer (if desired). Make the sauce.
- Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Taste for seasoning.
- Grill until some kernels are charred, turning to cook on all sides – about 15 minutes total.
- Remove the corn from the grill and cool 5 minutes.
- Using a basting brush, generously “paint” the corn with the sauce. Garnish with additional crumbled cotija and chopped cilantro.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Yum. When I was in Colombia, I would get these every day, twice a day. I love the addition of the Mexican version! YUMMY.
Yes! My Dad just told me he had street corn in Japan whenever he was there, and sent me a recipe for one he thought was similar. I can’t wait to try it with different flavor combinations!