The stateside surge in popularity of Mexican street corn, or elote, is completely understandable (and frankly, long overdue). After all, there are few better ways to dress grilled corn than slathering it with mayonnaise loaded with cayenne pepper, then rolling it in cotija cheese and squeezing lime juice over it. After grilling the corn, simply pull back the husk for a built-in handle.

What to buy: Cotija is a crumbly Mexican cheese that can be found in Latin markets and many grocery stores.

Store-bought mayonnaise would work fine in this recipe, or you could make your own.

Read more about grilling.

This dish was featured as part of our Recipes for Summer Ingredients photo gallery. See more ways to eat elote too.

  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 45 mins 
  • Active: 10 mins

Ingredients (7)

  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (about 4 ounces)
  • 6 ears corn, husks on
  • 1 medium lime, cut into 6 wedges

Instructions

  1. Stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl until well combined. Place the cheese in a shallow dish that is at least as long as the corn.
  2. Heat the grill to medium high (about 350°F to 450°F). Before grilling the corn, carefully peel back the husks of each ear a little more than halfway and remove as much silk as you can without pulling the husks off. Then pull the husks back up.
  3. Place the corn on the grill and close the lid. Every 10 minutes, roll the corn a quarter turn so it cooks evenly. (If your grill tends to have hot spots, move the cobs around so they grill evenly.) Cook until the husks are charred and starting to peel back from the corn, about 35 minutes total. Remove from the grill and set aside until the corn is cool enough to handle.
  4. Without detaching the husks, peel them back completely, turning them inside out so they form a handle. Brush the corn with a thin layer of the mayonnaise mixture, roll the cobs in the crumbled cheese, and serve. Pass the lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the corn.