Mexican Grilled Corn Elote — Chef John (Food Wishes)
Same dish from the original creator's YouTube channel. FOOD player playback has not been tested.
Official cooking video · Food Wishes (Chef John) · YOUTUBEMexican-Inspired Ancho-Lime Grilled Corn Elote (8 Ears)
Chef John's Mexican-inspired grilled corn: parcooked ears charred on a grill and topped with ancho-lime mayonnaise and Cotija cheese. This is the author's adaptation, not presented as a traditional Mexican formula. Makes eight ears.
Ingredients
servings: 8 · Check ingredients
Steps
- 01
Husk and clean eight ears of corn. Bring about 3L water, enough to cover them, to a boil with 1 tsp salt.
- 02
Parboil the corn about five minutes in the salted water; drain thoroughly.
- 03
Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp ancho powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika and the juice of one lime. Add up to 1/4 tsp optional salt only if needed.
- 04
Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grate about 120g Cotija and melt 4 tbsp butter.
- 05
Grill the parcooked corn for about 5–8 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes until lightly charred in spots; work in batches if needed.
- 06
Transfer grilled corn to a clean plate and brush the 4 tbsp melted butter evenly over all eight ears.
- 07
Coat the ears evenly with the ancho-lime mayo and sprinkle with approximately 120g Cotija. Serve using safe handles or skewers and mind the hot corn.
- 08
Serve promptly. Store leftover corn and sauce separately in sealed containers and refrigerate within two hours; use in 3–4 days. Reheat corn to 74°C, then add chilled stored sauce and cheese just before eating.
Before you cook
Mayonnaise may contain egg; butter and Cotija contain milk, so check labels. Beware burns from the grill and hot corn. Refrigerate sauce, cheese and leftover corn within two hours; use within 3–4 days. Reheat corn to 74°C before adding cold sauce.
Allergens: egg (mayonnaise, depending on brand), milk (butter and Cotija), check mayonnaise brand for other allergens
Image & source credits
These illustrations stand in for food photos.


