Grilled corn is one of the summer’s greatest pleasures. Slightly charred kernels, the natural sweetness shining through, it is a rock-star on the grill. If you’ve had Mexican street corn, then you know how insanely delicious grilled corn can be. Sweet ears of corn hot off the grill are slathered in a chili-mayo mixture and rolled in salty-fresh cheese – it’s crazy good!
It’s no secret that Mexican and Korean cuisine is a marriage made in foodie-fusion heaven. But have you ever had Mexican style street corn with a Korean kick? The kick I’m referring to is, gochujang (a Korean chile paste). Generally you can find this at any Asian grocery store. If you haven’t used it before, trust me, it won’t be one of those ingredients you buy for one dish and then never use again. It has a rich umami flavor, leaving your tastebuds with a full-bodied experience. Just be aware that gochujang varies greatly in spiciness – depending on the brand, it should indicate the level of heat somewhere on the packaging. I use ‘med-hot, level 3′, but feel free to purchase whatever spice level that suits your tastes. 
The spicy umami flavor of the gochujang, paired with the sweet corn, zesty lime, and salty cotija cheese makes these babies INSANELY delicious! Like eyes roll in the back of your head, delicious! So now that I’ve hopefully convinced you to try Korean-Mexican Grilled corn, let’s talk a bit about grilling the corn. First of all, whether you use white, yellow, or bi-colored corn, just make sure it’s as fresh as possible. There are several different methods to grilling corn: you can keep it wrapped in the husk, or wrap it in foil… but I prefer to grill my corn naked. The corn that is… not me grilling naked. Boy would I be the popular new neighbor if that were the case – depending on how you define popular. Seriously, grilling your corn naked is the only way that you’ll get your corn beautifully charred and most importantly… it will actually taste grilled. So grill your corn naked, you can take that which ever way you please 😉 
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ears of corn
- ⅓ cup cotija cheese
- 2 limes, zested
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, gochujang, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat your grill to medium. Pull the outer corn husks down each ear, remove the silk, and tie the ends of the husks with kitchen twine.
- Place the corn on the grill, cover, and grill for 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
- Spread the cheese out on a large plate. Brush each ear of corn with the gochujang-mayo mixture. Then roll the corn in the cheese and sprinkle with the lime zest. Serve and enjoy!
Grilled corns are seriously the best veggies for BBQ. I love that slightly charred smokey flavors. I totally need to add some gochujang on mine next time. NOMMMM…
Oh yes, totally add some gochujang! It adds such an amazing flavor!
This is the best looking corn ever. Seriously, it looks crazy good!!
Aww… thanks, Kristen 🙂
What a unique and beautiful dish! I’ve never heard of a Korean-Mexican grilled corn, and I think I’m in love. I mean and honestly gochujang is sooo good…this has my mouth watering! Great summer dish!
Thanks, Vineetha! Gochujang is my secret ingredient for so many dishes – it just adds the most wonderful flavor!I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
This sound and looks so delicious! I haven’t married my Gochujang with corns yet but I’m going to try that when summer arrives. 🙂
Isn’t gochujang such a magical ingredient? 🙂 Give it a try with grilled corn! I’m pretty sure you’re going LOVE it!
He! He! I’m glad you clarified because I was starting to picture you standing at the grill wearing nothing but your birthday suit. All kidding aside. . .this corn looks absolutely divine and I can’t wait for the hubby to get back from China so that we can grill some of this corn up naked. Nothing spices up a marriage more than grilling corn naked. Okay. . .I’ll stop.:-)
Lol! There’s probably a nudist grilling group out there somewhere 😉 Couples that grill naked together, stay together… is that how the saying goes? 😛
yes to the gochujang!!!! I LOVE this grilled corn!!! Looks sooo good!!!
Thanks, Alice! I seriously want to put gochujang on everything! 🙂
Hahaha! Okay it’s OFFICIAL! We are creepy related. Or sisters from another mister. Or something! I JUST said (no joke – last night) to my hubs that corn is best grilled naked. Because he wanted to wrap it in foil. He looked at me sideways…like I was going to stand outside in my birthday suit. Lol.
Anyways, I LOVE your pairing here- Korean meets Mexican CORN? OMG- I have seen the gochujang light and I can totally imagine how freggin’ delicious this is! I NEED! I had corn yesterday and today, and obviously I’m having THIS delicious corn tomorrow. Probably for breakfast. Weird? I don’t care. Just gimme! Pinned!! <3 Cheers girlie… or should I say sista? 😉
Sisters from another mister – I LOVE IT! Lol! We must have some foodie e.s.p. link going on. Grilling naked at the same time – Hahaha, wouldn’t that be an interesting guest post?! I know you’re going to love the corn/gochujang combo. I seriously want to put gochujang on everything!
NIce, love this!
Thanks, Sabrina 🙂
Whoa, I can just imagine how delicious this is, Kathleen … totally trust you on that! Total umami explosion of flavours!
Teehee … still chuckling at your comments about grilling the corn naked … certainly a way to either make (or not make!) new friends in your new neighbourhood!!
Ha! You got that right, Helen! Either way, it would not be good 😉
What a great fusion idea, I have to try this. Pinning for later 🙂
Thanks, Janette 🙂
Kathleen this is so gorgeous! I love how you tied the husks up too!!! So beautiful! I can’t even imagine how ridiculously delicious this is! YUM!
Thank you my dear, xoxo. Tying the husks up definitely adds a nice visual appeal 🙂
I’ll have to remember that 😉
This is a fabulous way to add smoky, robust flavors to corn on the cob. It is a definite crowd-pleaser! I can see if disappearing quickly at a backyard cookout. I’ll take two!!
Definitely a crowd-pleaser, Thao! I actually ate 3 (sheepish grin) 😛
Goodness! I love everything about this, so I’m not quite sure where to begin! Sweet Corn. Hot off the grill. Chili-Mayo mixture. Salty-fresh cheese. Crazy Good…. You see my dilemna? Fantastic, Kathleen!
Oh but what a good dilemma to have, am I right? 😉
OH. MY. GOODNESS. I am drooling over these grilled corns! Indeed these look divine and insanely delicious, Kathleen! 🙂
Aww… thanks, Anupama! 🙂
This sounds wonderful! Even though I live in a city where Mexican street corn is readily available, I never had it until we went to an amazing Mexican restaurant in North Carolina this summer. I’m not sure I’ll get around to making this, but I’m definitely saving the recipe.
Ooo… readily available Mexican street corn sounds amazing! I’d eat so much, I’d probably start growing husks out of my ears 😉 I know there are so many fantastic summer dishes – so tuck this one away, and if you don’t get to it this summer, be sure to try it next summer 🙂
This corn looks gorgeous and the flavors sound fantastic! Need to definitely try it by the end of this summer, I can’t believe I haven’t cooked corn lately! Gorgeous pictures, pinned!
Thanks, Mira 🙂 The summers are always way too short, aren’t they?! There are so many ‘summer foods’ I still have yet enjoy before the season is over!
YES YOU HAVE CONVINCED ME! Minus the naked part. 😉
You are so right, Mexican + Korean = fusion heaven. It is seriously SO GOOD!! Gochujang is so perfect for this, you’ve basically subbed Chipotles in Adobo for it which is perfect!!
Love this on so many many levels. Especially love the way you’ve bunched up the husk! I’m going to do that next time!
PS I can eat just corn for dinner. Seriously. 🙂
You and I are alike in so many way… this corn was my entire dinner 😉